Delhi Blast Probe Uncovers ISI’s Covert Doctor Network in Nepal, Masked as Charity Operations

Lucknow, December 2, 2025: The probe into the recent Delhi blast has revealed an alarming dimension, pointing to a potential covert network allegedly run by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in Nepal. According to investigators, this network operated under the guise of charitable initiatives, medical outreach, and academic collaborations.

Sources involved in the investigation stated that the network relied on foreign doctors, charity organizers, and research fellows who frequently traveled between Nepal and India’s border districts. The intelligence-gathering operation reportedly focused on sensitive Indian regions, including Gorakhpur, Lucknow, and the Himalayan corridor via Pithoragarh.

The investigation intensified after authorities detained five doctors from border districts. Additionally, a key suspect linked to the network’s financial and travel coordination reportedly left for Dubai shortly after the Delhi blast, raising suspicions of cross-border movement.

Tracing the Trail: From Türkiye to Nepal

Investigators initially examined possible Turkish handlers after detecting encrypted communication linked to a Türkiye-based module. However, the inquiry soon led to Nepal, where certain medical missions and charity foundations had experienced unusually high foreign activity over the past year.

A classified Intelligence Bureau (IB) report submitted to the Union Home Ministry in mid-November highlighted suspicious charity-related movements across Nepal’s Terai belt. The report flagged individuals, particularly those of Pakistani or dual-national backgrounds, who gained long-term access to Nepal under the pretext of aid, seminars, or research.

The probe gained further urgency following the detention of two British nationals of South Asian descent in Bahraich on November 15. One of them, Hassan Aman Salim, who has Pakistani origins, had made multiple visits to Nepal for “charity collaboration,” often accompanied by his Bangladeshi wife. Authorities now suspect these trips may have included intelligence or logistical coordination.

Charity as a Strategic Front

Former intelligence officers familiar with Nepal border operations warned that using humanitarian initiatives as cover is a known tactic. Santosh Singh, a former IB officer, explained:

“These missions appear humanitarian but allow operatives to maintain a sustained presence, engage with local communities, and discreetly gather intelligence. The Delhi blast investigation has merely brought such activities to light.”

Officials noted that medical camps provide operatives with convenient access to remote Indian-adjacent areas, enabling trust-building and movement without attracting attention.

Investigators Examine Travel, Funding, and Institutional Links

Central agencies are scrutinizing travel logs, funding channels, and institutional collaborations, focusing on:

• Frequent international trips for seminars, fellowships, and medical research
• Sponsoring institutions and Nepali partner organizations
• Funding sources of charity-linked programs
• Digital communications between Nepal and Indian border districts

Special attention is on districts such as Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, Bahraich, Balrampur, Shravasti, Siddharthnagar, and Maharajganj, where foreign researchers and volunteers commonly operate. Two doctors from Uttar Pradesh have emerged as primary persons of interest, with one traveling to Dubai immediately after the blast, prompting authorities to track financial and cross-border activities.

Next Steps: Unraveling the Network

Investigators are now mapping what they describe as the “core operational skeleton” of the suspected network. This includes:

• Funding mechanisms behind charity initiatives
• Nepali collaborators and institutions
• International handlers
• Potential sleeper units inside India
• The role of medical missions as operational covers

Officials emphasize that the Delhi blast investigation has inadvertently uncovered a nascent intelligence network embedded within Nepal’s humanitarian sector. With further arrests and inquiries expected, agencies are racing to understand the full scale of ISI’s covert operations along India’s accessible northern borders.