New Delhi: The NIA has made three more arrests on Tuesday in connection with the Pakistani ISI-linked Visakhapatnam espionage case involving sensitive and classified Naval defence information. The central anti-terror probe agency arrested three men for sharing sensitive information with Pakistan’s intelligence operatives about Indian defence establishments at Karwar Naval Base and Kochi Naval Base.
While Vethan Laxman Tandel and Akshay Ravi Naik were picked up from Uttara Kannada district in Karnataka, Abhilash P.A. was arrested from Kochi in Kerala and with these the total arrests in the case have gone up to eight.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) said that the three accused were allegedly in contact with Pakistan Intelligence Operatives (PIOs) through social media. “A probe has revealed that they were sharing sensitive information about Indian defence establishments at Karwar Naval Base and Kochi Naval Base and were receiving money from PIOs in exchange for the information,” an NIA official said.
“The accused were contractual employees at the two naval bases and shared sensitive information through several communication channels, including social media platforms. They are taken into custody and are brought to Hyderabad for further questioning to unearth the larger conspiracy,” the agency said. So far the agency has arrested eight people in connection with the espionage case.
Developed under ‘Project Seabird’ by the Centre, the Karwar naval base is considered as a key strategic base for the Indian Navy. The NIA had earlier chargesheeted five including two absconding Pakistani operatives in the case that was originally registered by the Counter Intelligence Cell, Andhra Pradesh in January 2021. The anti-terror agency took over the case in June 2023.
NIA investigations have revealed that Pakistan national Meer Balaj Khan and one Akash Solanki — who has been arrested — were involved in the espionage racket related to leaking of sensitive vital information about the Indian Navy as part of an “anti-India conspiracy”.
Another absconding PIO, Alven, and two others — Manmohan Surendra Panda and Amaan Salim Shaikh — have also been chargesheeted by the agency.
According to the chargesheet, the Pakistani operative Meer Balaj Khan allegedly funded one Akash Solanki through cryptocurrencies.
