Shared sensitive info with Pak spy: Indian Navy sailor arrested
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Coimbatore: An Indian Navy sailor has been arrested for allegedly sharing sensitive information about naval operations with a woman suspected of being linked to Pakistani intelligence, in a case being investigated by the Andhra Pradesh Police Counter-Intelligence Cell.
Pradeep Mukherjee, 31, a native of West Bengal, was arrested on Saturday while attending a Management Development Course at INS Agrani, a naval leadership training establishment in Red Fields, Coimbatore. He had arrived there about a week earlier for the training programme.
Mukherjee joined the Indian Navy as a sailor in 2014 and has been serving under the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam. Investigators suspect that he came into contact with the woman through social media several months ago and later developed a close relationship with her.
The preliminary investigation indicates that Mukherjee allegedly shared sensitive information relating to naval assets at the Visakhapatnam base, vessel movements and operational arrangements. The Counter Intelligence Cell had reportedly been monitoring his digital activities after detecting suspicious interactions.
A special team reached INS Agrani on Saturday morning and took Mukherjee into custody after obtaining the Navy's approval. He was produced before a court in Coimbatore, where investigators secured a transit warrant before taking him to the Counter-Intelligence headquarters in Vijayawada for further questioning.
Investigators are examining the nature and extent of the information allegedly passed on and whether the disclosures compromised sensitive naval operations. They are also probing whether Mukherjee received money in return for the information.
Authorities are checking possible financial trails, including digital transfers and suspected hawala transactions. Further questioning is expected to establish the extent of his alleged contact with the Pakistani intelligence-linked woman and whether others were involved in the suspected information network.