NIA arrests key accused in Naval spy ring case

The case pertains to an international espionage racket in which Pakistan-based spies recruited agents in India to collect sensitive and classified information

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested Giteli Imran, a key accused in the Visakhapatnam naval spy ring case, on charges of depositing money in the accounts of a few personnel of the Indian Navy in lieu of sensitive and classified data provided by them that are of use to Pakistan, officials said.

The racket was unearthed last December on the basis of specific intelligence information that naval officers, who mostly belonged to lower ranks, were being paid off by Pakistani agents. (Representational Photo)

Imran (37), a resident of Godhra in Gujarat, was arrested on Monday under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act (UAPAA), 2019 and the Official Secrets Act (OSA), 1923.

The case pertains to an international espionage racket in which Pakistan-based spies recruited agents in India for collecting sensitive and classified information regarding locations and movements of Indian naval ships and submarines and other defence establishments.

“An investigation revealed that a few navy personnel came in contact with Pakistani agents through social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp etc. They shared classified information in lieu of money deposited into their bank accounts through Indian associates of the Inter Service Intelligence (ISI), the Pakistani intelligence agency. The Indian associates have business interests in Pakistan,” said Sonia Narang, spokesperson, NIA.

The racket was unearthed last December on the basis of specific intelligence information that naval officers, who mostly belonged to lower ranks, were being paid off by Pakistani agents.

NIA has filed a charge sheet against 14 persons, including 11 naval officers, in the case on June 15.

Imran is the 15th arrest made in the case.

“The investigation has revealed that the arrested accused Giteli Imran was associated with Pakistani spies and agents under the guise of cross-border cloth trade. As per the directions of Pakistan-based spies, he deposited money into the bank accounts of Indian Navy personnel at regular intervals in lieu of sensitive and classified data provided by them,” said Narang.

The spokesperson said that some digital devices and incriminating documents have been seized from the arrested accused’s house.