Amaravati, Oct 6: The Andhra Pradesh Police have arrested two people, including a naval staffer, for allegedly spying for Pakistan and sharing sensitive information with Pakistan Intelligence Operatives (PIOs).
The arrests are part of an ongoing espionage investigation involving 18 suspects, of whom 13 are reportedly naval personnel, according to the Andhra Pradesh Police.
The Andhra Pradesh Counter Intelligence (CI) Cell arrested Pradeep Mukharjee, a naval employee working at the Visakhapatnam naval base, and Annam Sai Varaprasad, a civilian contract driver engaged for naval officers in Visakhapatnam.
According to the police, the suspects were allegedly maintaining direct contact with Pakistan Intelligence Operatives and were involved in an espionage conspiracy that could affect India’s national security.
Two Suspects Arrested
The police said the two suspects were arrested after their alleged roles were established during the investigation. Further investigation is underway to identify the involvement of the remaining suspects.
Mukharjee was recently arrested in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. He was produced before a court in Vijayawada and sent to judicial custody until October 14. He is currently lodged in the Vijayawada district jail.
Varaprasad was also sent to judicial remand until October 14 and is lodged in the same jail.
Sensitive Defence Information Allegedly Shared
According to the Andhra Pradesh Police, Mukharjee and Varaprasad allegedly shared sensitive information with Pakistani operatives.
The Counter Intelligence Cell coordinated with police forces in 10 states as part of “Operation Firewall-2026” to track the suspects and investigate the alleged sharing of sensitive and classified information relating to defence establishments and strategic locations.
The police said the suspects allegedly shared information about Visakhapatnam and other parts of India through encrypted communication channels.
Electronic Devices Seized
The Counter Intelligence Cell has seized electronic devices from the suspects as part of the investigation.
Police said the probe is continuing and efforts are underway to establish the roles of the remaining suspects allegedly connected to the espionage network.
The Andhra Pradesh Police have not yet disclosed further details about the nature of the classified information allegedly shared with Pakistani operatives, as the investigation is still underway.
