SOURCE :- SIASAT NEWS
Two persons, including a civilian contract driver engaged for Naval officers and a Naval employee, have been arrested by the Andhra Pradesh Counter Intelligence Cell for their alleged involvement in an espionage conspiracy involving Pakistan-based intelligence operatives (PIOs).
The arrests were made as part of “Operation Firewall-2026”, a coordinated operation against an alleged espionage module comprising 18 suspects, including 13 Naval personnel, the AP Police said.
The Counter Intelligence Cell had received information that certain persons were allegedly maintaining direct contact with PIOs and collecting and sharing sensitive or classified information relating to defence establishments and strategic locations in Visakhapatnam and other parts of the country through encrypted communication channels.
A case, Cr. No. 01/2026, was registered at the Counter Intelligence Police Station, Vijayawada, on September 2 under Sections 61(2), 147 and 148 read with Section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Sections 17 and 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Section 3 of the Official Secrets Act.
On October 1, 12 AP CI Cell teams conducted coordinated searches and inquiries across 10 States/UTs — Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Goa, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh and Bihar — in coordination with the respective State ATSs, Naval officials and local police. Electronic gadgets were also seized following due legal procedures.
The first arrested suspect, Annam Sai Varaprasad, a civilian contract driver engaged for Naval officers, was arrested in Visakhapatnam. He was allegedly involved in sharing sensitive information relating to Naval and defence establishments with a Pakistan-based intelligence operative and receiving money in connection with it. He was remanded in judicial custody till October 14 and is lodged in District Jail, Visakhapatnam.
The second suspect, Pradeep Mukharjee, a Naval employee at the Visakhapatnam Naval base, was arrested in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. He allegedly shared an OTP for activation of a WhatsApp account by a PIO, communicated with PIOs and shared sensitive information relating to Naval and defence establishments. After securing a transit warrant, he was produced before a court in Vijayawada and remanded in judicial custody till October 14. He is lodged in District Jail, Vijayawada.
The investigation into the remaining suspects is continuing. Further details will be disclosed at an appropriate stage, keeping in view the sensitivity of the case and national security.
SOURCE : SIASAT
