Cracking down on suspects involved in the 2021 Visakhapatnam Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence espionage case relating to leakage of classified defence information, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) today conducted extensive searches at three locations in Gujarat and Maharashtra. The residences of the suspects who are believed to have received money from Pakistan to spy on Indian defence establishments, were thoroughly searched by NIA teams at the three locations. Several incriminating materials, including mobile phones and documents were seized during the searches. NIA is examining the seized materials to identify more linkages in the case.
The NIA took over the case in June 2023, and filed a chargesheet against two accused, including an absconding Pakistani national. This was followed by two more chargesheets against three others, including a Pakistani national.
The investigations have revealed that Pakistani nationals had collaborated with the arrested accused in the espionage racket, in which sensitive and vital information pertaining to the Indian Navy was being leaked as part of a conspiracy to unleash terrorist violence in India.
