Who was Madhuri Gupta, ex-diplomat turned Pakistani spy?

While Haryana-based YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra has sparked outrage, fifteen years ago the case of Indian diplomat Madhur Gupta took the country by storm.

While ‘travel YouTuber’ Jyoti Malhotra's involvement with Pakistani intelligence operatives has shocked the country, a similar case made waves in 2010 when former diplomat Madhuri Gupta turned spy for Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI.

Former Indian diplomat Madhuri Gupta was sentenced to three years in prison for being a Pakistani spy

In 2010, junior Indian diplomat Madhuri Gupta, who had served at the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, was arrested in New Delhi on charges of spying for Pakistan's ISI.

Later, in 2018, she was sentenced to three years in jail for passing on sensitive information to Pakistan's spy agency.

Here's all we know about Madhuri Gupta

1. Madhuri Gupta, had worked as an assistant director of the Indian Council of World Affairs from 2006-2007 and later as the press and information secretary of India's High Commission in Islamabad. She had been suspected of passing on sensitive information to Pakistani officials since 2008.

2. At 66 years old, in 2018, Gupta was held guilty under various provisions of the Official Secrets Act for maintaining unauthorised contact with Pakistani intelligence operatives Mubshar Raza Rana and Jamshed.

3. She was accused of passing on key information personally as well as through her email account to ISI handlers from October 2009 to April 2010. In one email, she had promised to collect information on a hydroelectric project in Jammu and Kashmir, which would have had grave consequences for national security.

4. Gupta was allegedly keen to cross over to Pakistan and was skilled in Urdu, reported IANS citing sources. Investigating officer Pankaj Sood told the Caravan in 2012, that she had been “trapped” by a young Pakistani operative and had expressed desire to marry him.

5. A Delhi court had observed during her sentencing, as quoted by PTI, “It is seen that the accused was unable to give such information but her intention of passing on such information and her going to Jammu after giving the false excuse of attending marriage points out her intention of helping the enemy country."

6. Gupta died in 2021 in Bhiwandi, Rajasthan. She had denied all claims against her throughout her trial and claimed that she was being falsely implicated by senior officials.

(with inputs from PTI)