Have Two Individuals Been Arrested for Sharing Sensitive Indian Navy Intelligence with Pakistan?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- The Karnataka Police arrested two individuals for leaking Indian Navy intelligence.
- The suspects were employed at Cochin Shipyard and used social media for communication.
- They face serious charges under national security laws.
- The investigation is ongoing to determine the extent of the breach.
- This incident raises significant concerns about internal security.
Udupi, Nov 21 (NationPress) The Karnataka Police have detained two individuals for allegedly transmitting sensitive Indian Navy intelligence to Pakistan via WhatsApp and Facebook in return for monetary compensation.
The suspects were employed at the Cochin Shipyard, and their arrest was carried out by the Udupi police, as confirmed by officials on Friday.
A case was initiated following a complaint lodged by the CEO of Cochin Shipyard at the Malpe police station. The suspects face charges under Section 152 of the BNS and Sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act (OSA).
The individuals have been identified as 20-year-old Rohit and 37-year-old Santri, both hailing from Sultanpur district in Uttar Pradesh. They were apprehended on Thursday, and a local court has placed them in judicial custody until December 3.
Udupi SP Hariram Shankar informed the media on Friday that the suspects would be taken into police custody on November 22.
The investigation was led by Assistant Police Commissioner Harsha Priyamvada and Malpe Station Sub-Inspector D. Anil Kumar.
Acting on a tip-off, the special police unit located both suspects residing together in a room in Malpe and arrested them. This case is crucial from a national security perspective, and the investigation has been escalated to ascertain if others are implicated, according to the SP.
Initial investigations suggest that Rohit is the primary suspect. He had been working as an insulator at the Cochin Shipyard unit in Malpe for the past six months.
Rohit obtained a classified list of Indian Navy vessels, their identification numbers, and other sensitive details from Santri, who is currently employed at the Cochin Shipyard.
Investigations have indicated that the confidential information was shared with Pakistan and potentially other nations. The inquiry into this matter is ongoing, as stated by the SP.
SP Hariram Shankar further noted that the suspects received significant sums of money in exchange for the information. They are believed to have been disseminating information related to government ports, ships, and shipyard operations in Cochin, Kerala, and its Malpe branch in Karnataka for over a year and a half.
Additionally, the investigation revealed that Rohit profited substantially while employed at the Cochin Shipyard by selling information such as ship lists, identification numbers, and other confidential data.
Indian Navy vessels are manufactured at the shipyard's facility in Kerala, while the Malpe unit in Karnataka produces ships for private clients and international customers.
Rohit was transferred to Malpe six months ago but continued to obtain information from Santri and share it through WhatsApp and Facebook.
SP Hariram Shankar emphasized that the actions of the accused have endangered the nation's integrity and sovereignty, posing a serious threat to internal security.