Indian Navy Personnel Arrested Over Alleged Pakistan Spy Network Links

An Indian Navy personnel has been arrested for allegedly sharing sensitive and classified information related to naval security with a suspected Pakistani intelligence operative through a honey trap, officials said.

The 31-year-old accused, identified as Pradip Mukherjee, was arrested on Saturday by the Counter Intelligence (CI) Cell of the Andhra Pradesh Police from INS Agrani, a naval training centre in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.

Accused Was Serving in Eastern Naval Command

Pradip, a native of West Bengal, joined the Indian Navy in 2014 and was posted under the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam.

He had been staying at the Coimbatore-based training centre for the past week to attend a Management Development Course when the arrest was made.

Investigators are probing allegations that sensitive information concerning naval operations and security was shared with an individual linked to Pakistani intelligence.

Alleged Honey Trap Connection

According to investigators, a woman claiming to be a Pakistani intelligence operative allegedly established contact with Pradip online several months ago.

The woman is suspected of subsequently obtaining information from him about the functioning of the Visakhapatnam naval base, strategic preparedness, movement of naval assets and other security-related details.

Investigators are examining the extent of the information allegedly shared and the nature of the accused’s communications with the suspected operative.

Digital Activities Under Investigation

The CI Cell, which investigates suspected espionage and terror-related activities, reportedly detected suspicious digital activity linked to Pradip.

Following the detection, investigators kept him under surveillance and examined his communications and other digital activities. After allegedly finding evidence connecting him to the suspected information-sharing network, the agency arrested him on Saturday.

Further investigation is underway to determine the full extent of the alleged espionage activity, the information that may have been shared and whether any other individuals were involved.