NIA arrests three more in Pak ISI-linked Visakhapatnam naval espionage case

In a significant breakthrough, the National Investigation Agency (NIA), with the assistance of local police, has arrested three more individuals in connection with the Pakistani ISI-linked espionage case in Visakhapatnam, officials confirmed on Wednesday.

- SIMONTINI BHATTACHARJEE

NEW DELHI:

The case involves the leakage of highly sensitive and classified naval defence information to Pakistan.

The latest arrests—Vethan Laxman Tandel and Akshay Ravi Naik from Uttara Kannada district in Karnataka and Abhilash P.A. from Kochi in Kerala—bring the total number of arrests in the case to eight, they said.

According to NIA investigations, the arrested individuals were in contact with Pakistani Intelligence Operatives (PIOs) via social media platforms. They were allegedly involved in passing on sensitive information regarding Indian naval establishments at Karwar and Kochi in exchange for money. The agency has found evidence of financial transactions between the accused and their Pakistani handlers.