Engineer At Indian Defence Firm Arrested For Leaking Sensitive Naval Data
A 27-year-old mechanical engineer from Thane, a city in Maharashtra, India was arrested by Maharashtra’s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) for leaking sensitive information about Indian warships and submarines to a Pakistani intelligence operative.
The accused used sketches, diagrams, and audio recordings to share classified details and received payments from multiple bank accounts in India and abroad.
The police investigation revealed that the engineer, employed as a junior engineer at a defence technology company, had authorised access to the Naval Dockyard in South Mumbai. During his work, he boarded various naval ships and submarines.
Since mobile phones were prohibited inside the dockyard, he made sketches and diagrams of the sensitive information, sometimes sending audio notes to communicate the details.
The ATS found that the engineer had been in contact since late 2024 with Pakistani agents who posed as Indian women on Facebook. Using fake profiles, the operatives initially pretended to be Indian citizens involved in a project that required confidential information about warships. Gradually, they persuaded the engineer to share classified information about vital naval assets.
Investigators revealed that the accused was fully aware of the confidential nature of the information and knew the identity of the recipient. He was paid for each piece of information he shared.
The engineer shared detailed data, including the names of warships and submarines, which raised serious national security concerns. Police also revealed that the payments came from various accounts, indicating the involvement of a coordinated intelligence network.
The ATS further explained that during his visits to the Naval Dockyard, the engineer was not permitted to carry a mobile phone, which led him to use alternative methods to relay the information after completing his official duties.
The Facebook connection began with friend requests from the two fake accounts in 2024. After exchanging several messages, the Pakistani agents successfully honey-trapped the engineer into spying. The investigation continues to uncover the full extent of the data leaked and whether others were involved.
Following his arrest on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, the engineer was remanded to ATS custody until Monday.
References: ndtv, news18