Bhubaneswar: A 22-year-old youth, who was arrested by Delhi Police from Bhubaneswar, was allegedly honey-trapped by a suspected Pakistani woman through social media, drawn into a radical online network, and trained in cyber techniques for subversive activities.

Sheikh Imran, a resident of Ganga Nagar, was arrested on April 10 in a joint operation by the Delhi Police Special Cell and Odisha Police from his rented accommodation. He has been taken on transit remand to Delhi for further interrogation into his alleged links with a radical group, involved in circulating anti-India and extremist content.

According to police sources, Imran first came into contact with a close-knit online group via his social media accounts, where radical content along religious lines was shared. He was reportedly honey-trapped by the woman, who then coerced him into joining the network. Over the past year, he allegedly visited Delhi multiple times to meet her and attended a week-long programme learning specialised cyber techniques used in subversive and terrorist activities.

Odisha’s Crime Branch Special Task Force (STF), the nodal agency for terror and organised crime probes, is now analysing his online chats with the woman. STF SP Rabi Satapathy confirmed that the honey-trap angle and claims of short-term cyber tradecraft training related to terrorism are under verification. Investigators are also checking whether other individuals from Odisha were part of the same radical group.

Imran’s name reportedly surfaced during the interrogation of several other youths detained in Delhi last week. A wider digital investigation into social media activity—spanning platforms like WhatsApp, Signal, and Instagram—linked him to a closed network spreading anti-national propaganda and material aimed at religious radicalisation.

The state police, in coordination with Delhi counterparts, are thoroughly probing his background, including extensive social media history, financial transactions, call records, and travels. Delhi Police described him as unemployed and an active member of the radical group.

Imran’s family, however, expressed shock and disbelief at the allegations. “My son was glued to his mobile phone for hours, but I never imagined he was involved in anti-national activities. I believe the mobile phone ruined him,” his father, Sheikh Amir told TOI.

He claimed his son worked as a delivery agent for an online food aggregator. “He often asked me for money. I told him to find work, and he said he was doing food delivery, though I was never sure,” he added.