Two people have been arrested in a case involving alleged transfers of sensitive information to Pakistani intelligence operatives, Andhra Pradesh police said. Searches were conducted across 10 states and territories.
Andhra Pradesh’s Counter Intelligence Cell is investigating 18 people, including 13 Navy personnel, on suspicion of passing sensitive information to Pakistani intelligence operatives. Two have been arrested. Authorities say the information allegedly concerned naval facilities and strategic sites in Visakhapatnam and elsewhere in India.
Police registered the case in Vijayawada after receiving a tip. The charges cited include Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Sections 17 and 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Section 3 of the Official Secrets Act.
Under Operation Firewall-2026, 12 counter-intelligence teams were deployed across Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa, Delhi, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Bihar and Chhattisgarh. Officials said they worked with Navy officers, anti-terror units and local police, searched premises linked to the suspects and seized electronic devices.
The two arrested are Annam Sai Vara Prasad, a civilian contract driver working with naval officers, and Navy employee Pradeep Mukherjee. The first is accused of allegedly sharing classified information about naval establishments with a Pakistan-based operative for money. Mukherjee allegedly provided a one-time password used to activate a WhatsApp account and passed on sensitive information about defence sites. Both were remanded in judicial custody until October 14.
Mukherjee, 31, joined the Navy in 2014 and was posted with the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam. He was arrested on October 3 in Coimbatore while attending a training programme, after investigators detected suspicious digital activity. Authorities allege he had been in contact with a woman he met on social media, whom investigators identify as a Pakistani operative.
Investigators are seeking to establish how long information may have been shared, what data and photographs were sent, whether money changed hands and whether others were involved. The allegations remain under investigation.