NIA Cracks Down on Espionage Ring in Gujarat & Maharashtra

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted searches in Gujarat and Maharashtra on premises of individuals suspected of spying for Pakistan, following the registration of a case in June 2022. Investigations revealed collaboration between Pakistani nationals and the accused in leaking sensitive information about the Indian Navy.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) intensified its crackdown on espionage activities on Friday, executing searches in Gujarat and Maharashtra. The operation targeted suspects who allegedly received funds from Pakistan to spy on Indian defense setups.

This wave of searches follows a case registered by the NIA last June. Subsequently, the agency filed a charge sheet in July 2023 against two accused, one of whom is a Pakistani national still at large. Two more charge sheets have been submitted against three individuals, including another Pakistani national, according to an NIA statement.

Investigations have unveiled that Pakistani nationals collaborated with the detainees in an espionage racket. This network aimed to leak sensitive information related to the Indian Navy as part of a larger plot to incite terrorist activities in India.

The NIA's statement added, 'Cracking down on suspects involved in the 2021 Visakhapatnam Pakistani ISI espionage case, which involved leaking classified defense information, the NIA on Friday conducted extensive searches at three locations in Gujarat and Maharashtra.'

Residences of suspects believed to have received Pakistani funds were thoroughly searched, yielding incriminating materials such as mobile phones and documents.

These materials are under NIA scrutiny to uncover further links in a case originally filed by the Counter Intelligence Cell, Andhra Pradesh, in January 2021 under multiple legal provisions, including the Indian Penal Code, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and the Official Secrets Act, 1923.

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