At least 13 detained navy personnel are being questioned by the Andhra Pradesh police for their alleged role in the honey trap-fuelled espionage racket involving Pakistani operatives spying for sensitive defence-related information, people familiar with the probe said on Wednesday.
The focus is on how the wide spy network – two have been arrested so far – operated and what kind of information they had sold to Pakistani spies about the eastern naval command in Visakhapatnam. The teams worked in coordination with the several anti-terrorism squads from the states, naval officials and the local police. Joshita sought information about the movement and number of ships and submarines, photographs, and photographs and details of their Commanding Officers. She allegedly induced the Indian Navy personnel with monetary offers in exchange for such information.
The CIC sleuths have not yet arrested these 13 Navy personnel but are questioning them at a secret location to uncover the network of Pakistani intelligence operatives (PIO) operating in the country, the officer said. Acting on specific information, a dozen counter intelligence teams were deployed across 10 states and Union Territories, including Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Goa, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh and Bihar to track suspects. In all, the CIC authorities arrested 15 persons, including seven Indian Navy sailors and a Mumbai-based hawala operator on charges of having links with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence and spying for Pakistan through women who lured them into online relationships.
Counter intelligence cell (CIC) of the state police is attempting to extract information from the suspects, a police officer said. “The information sought reportedly included the movement and number of naval ships and submarines, photographs and videos of naval assets and sensitive establishments, and photographs and details of Commanding Officers,” the official statement said.
The accused were charged under several sections of the Official Secrets Act, 1923. The case was initially investigated by the AP Counter Intelligence Cell before being transferred to the National Investigation Agency.
