The man, identified as Pathan Khan, was taken into custody by intelligence officers last month and formally arrested on Thursday. Officials believe Khan had been passing sensitive information related to India's border security to Pakistan since 2013.

"The man, identified as Pathan Khan, had been working for the ISI since 2013. Upon receiving information from some internal sources of the department, our officers detained him on March 18 and formally arrested him on Thursday after a thorough questioning," said Sanjay Agrawal, Director General of the Intelligence Department.

Contact began during a visit to Pakistan in 2013

Officials say the entire operation started more than a decade ago, when Khan traveled to Pakistan in 2013. That's when ISI operatives allegedly made their first move.

"The ISI officials lured him with money, and he was later also given espionage training. It was (later) found that he was in regular touch with the ISI handlers since then and had been passing sensitive confidential information from the Jaisalmer's international border area," Agrawal explained.

According to investigators, Khan didn't stop at basic communication. He was trained, paid regularly, and used a range of secretive methods to share information.

Spy tools: fake identities, social media, and forged SIM cards

What makes this case more worrying is the way Khan allegedly operated. Police say he posed as a local farmer named Ravi Kishan, claiming to own farmland in the Zero RD area of Noor-Ki-Chakki village, right near the India-Pakistan border - a sensitive location guarded by BSF (Border Security Force) personnel.

When questioned during his initial detention on March 18, Khan stuck to this identity. But further interrogation revealed his alleged role as a spy. "He, majorly, used to pass the information through some social media platform. He was also provided some forged SIM cards. He had also constantly been paid by the ISI through various sources," Agrawal added.

What kind of information did he leak?

Police are still investigating the exact nature and impact of the information Pathan Khan is believed to have shared over the years. However, the intelligence department suspects he had access to photos and videos of BSF troops, their activities, and possibly even details about security installations near the border.

"We are probing the role of the information he passed to the ISI over the years. It is suspected he used to send videos and photos of the BSF staff and their work from the sensitive and protected area of the international border. Further investigation is underway," Agrawal said.

Official Secrets Act invoked as investigation deepens

On Thursday, the Rajasthan Police registered a case against Khan under the Official Secrets Act, 1923 - a law used to prosecute cases involving espionage and the leakage of classified information.

Sources say more arrests or links could surface as investigators trace how deep this alleged network goes - and what kind of national security breaches might have occurred over a span of more than a decade.

For now, Pathan Khan remains in custody, and India's intelligence agencies are working to piece together the full story of how one man, posing as a farmer, may have endangered border security for years without being caught.

:India Will Attack Pakistan In 24-36 Hours: Pakistan Minister Announces At 2 AM Press Conference