Andhra Pradesh police have apprehended two individuals, including an Indian naval staffer, on charges of spying for Pakistan. The arrests stem from an ongoing investigation into an espionage conspiracy that allegedly threatened India's national security, according to official reports.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Pradeep Mukharjee, a naval employee attached to the Visakhapatnam naval base, and Annam Sai Varaprasad, a civilian contract driver for naval officers in the same city. Their arrests followed credible intelligence gathered by the Andhra Pradesh Counter Intelligence Cell regarding individuals in India maintaining contact with Pakistan Intelligence Operatives (PIOs).
Allegations and Operation Firewall-2026
Police allege that Annam Sai Varaprasad shared sensitive and classified information pertaining to naval and defence establishments with PIOs, receiving financial compensation in return. Pradeep Mukharjee is accused of assisting PIOs by providing an One-Time Password (OTP) for activating a WhatsApp account, communicating with them, and also sharing sensitive defence-related information.
Mukharjee was taken into custody from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, while Varaprasad was also arrested in connection with the case. Both have been remanded to judicial custody until October 14 and are currently lodged in the district jail in Vijayawada.
The arrests are part of a larger, multi-state investigation dubbed "Operation Firewall-2026." This extensive operation, coordinated by the Counter Intelligence (CI) Cell, involved police forces across 10 states and Union Territories, including Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Goa, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, and Bihar. Authorities deployed 12 CI Cell teams to probe the suspects, who allegedly shared information about strategic locations like Visakhapatnam through encrypted communication channels. Visakhapatnam is a critical naval hub, home to the Eastern Naval Command (ENC), Naval Dockyard, Hindustan Shipyard Ltd (HSL), and Visakhapatnam Port.
Legal Framework
A case was formally registered at the Counter Intelligence Police Station in Vijayawada on September 2. Charges include sections under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (Sections 61(2), 147, 148 read with Section 3(5)), the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (Sections 17 and 18), and the Official Secrets Act, 1923 (Section 3). The investigation is described as sensitive and remains ongoing, with authorities continuing to pursue other suspects involved in the conspiracy.