As many as 24 Inter-Services Intelligence agents have been arrested for spying for the Pakistani intelligence agency so far this year, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

"In addition to these 24 agents, one Pakistani spy agent detected in October 2016 was Pakistan high commission, New Delhi based intelligence officer Mehmood Akhtar," Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir said replying a written question.

Of those, who were arrested so far this year, nine were detected in Rajasthan, six in Punjab, two in Gujarat, two in Jammu and Kashmir, one in Uttar Pradesh and four in Delhi.

Ahir said some of the staff posted in Pakistan high commission in New Delhi is suspected to be involved in running espionage network.

The official who was apprehended by the Delhi Police for spying was consequently declared persona non grata by the Indian authorities.