NIA arrests two for leaking sensitive info to Pak operative

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested two civilian contract workers for allegedly leaking sensitive information about the INS Kadamba Naval Base in Karwar to a Pakistani intelligence operative, according to people aware of the matter.

- Arun Dev and Hirekop Rajan Samuel [e-mail]

BENGALURU/BELAGAVI:

The two, identified as Akshay Naik from Ankola and Vethan Thandel from Karwar, have been accused of passing classified details, including photographs of restricted areas and naval movements, to a woman posing as a marine officer, the people said.

According to NIA officers, the arrests were made on Tuesday with the assistance of police in Ankola and Karwar. A six-member NIA team from Hyderabad, led by two deputy superintendents of police (DSPs), carried out the operation after getting "critical" intelligence, the officers added, asking not to be named.

The superintendent of police (SP) at Karwar, Narayan M, confirmed that NIA officers interrogated five naval base staff at the Karwar City police station on Tuesday morning.

"After a thorough inquiry, three were released, while two were taken into custody as they confessed to sharing classified information about the base with a woman," Narayan said.