Three Arrested in Karnataka for Allegedly Leaking Naval Secrets to Pakistan
Arrests Made for Naval Information Leak
Authorities in Karnataka have detained three individuals—one from Gujarat and two from Uttar Pradesh—on suspicion of transmitting sensitive Indian Navy information to handlers in Pakistan, as reported by a local news outlet on Sunday.
The first suspect, Hirendra Kumar, a 34-year-old from Gujarat, was apprehended on Saturday. The other two, Rohit, 29, and Santri, 37, both hailing from Sultanpur district in Uttar Pradesh, were taken into custody in November.
They face charges under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which pertain to actions threatening India's sovereignty and integrity, as well as Sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act, which address espionage and unauthorized sharing of classified information.
Rohit and Santri were working as insulators for Shushma Marine Private Limited, a subcontractor associated with the Udupi Cochin Shipyard.
According to police allegations, Rohit gathered confidential information regarding naval vessels, including identification numbers, maintenance schedules, and critical infrastructure details, which he then relayed to Pakistani contacts. This activity reportedly continued with Santri's help even after Rohit was reassigned from the site.
Kumar is accused of supplying Rohit with a SIM card registered in his name in exchange for payment, facilitating communication with the Pakistani handlers via WhatsApp.
Assistant Superintendent of Police Harsha Priyamvada stated that Kumar was providing SIM cards and OTPs for activating WhatsApp accounts used for these communications.
The investigation began in November when the CEO of Cochin Shipyard reported a security breach to the Malpe police.
In a related incident, five individuals from Kashmir were arrested by the Arunachal Pradesh Police on Thursday for alleged espionage activities. They are accused of gathering sensitive information from various locations in Arunachal Pradesh and sharing it with their Pakistani handlers, according to the Inspector General of Police, Law and Order, Chukhu Apa.