JAIPUR: A 37-year-old woman was arrested for her alleged involvement in anti-national activities and suspected links with banned extremist organisations, including the Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), the Rajasthan Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) said Monday. The arrest was made under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).The accused, identified as Babita Dhakar, a resident of Vatika area near Sanganer in Jaipur, was arrested on June 20 following a surveillance-led investigation. She was produced before a court on June 21, which granted the ATS seven days of police custody for further questioning.Confirming the arrest, ATS SP Manish Tripathi said the woman came under scrutiny after intelligence inputs indicated her possible involvement in activities posing a threat to national security. “During surveillance and subsequent investigation, we arrested the woman after receiving credible inputs regarding her involvement in activities linked to banned organisations,” Tripathi said.According to ATS officials, preliminary findings suggest the woman was in contact with individuals linked to extremist groups through social media and messaging applications. Investigators also claimed recovering information indicating communication with phone numbers believed to be connected to Pakistan. “The communication was carried out through WhatsApp and other digital platforms,” Tripathi said.Tripathi confirmed that the name of Jaish-e-Mohammed emerged during the probe. “We have come across information indicating that one individual in contact with the woman may be linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed. We are examining whether the woman herself had any direct association with the organisation. The investigation is still underway,” he said.Investigators said Dhakar allegedly used the alias “Khadija” during online conversations to conceal her identity. They also claimed she deleted a significant amount of digital data before her arrest, allegedly in an attempt to obstruct the investigation.ATS officials said forensic teams are working to recover deleted data and trace her digital footprint. The agency is now focusing on identifying her handlers, associates and the extent of her alleged links with banned organisations.
