The Andhra Pradesh Police have arrested two people, including an employee of the Indian Navy’s Visakhapatnam establishment, in connection with an alleged espionage network suspected of sharing sensitive information with Pakistan-based intelligence operatives.
The arrests were made as part of a wider investigation involving 18 suspects, of whom 13 are naval personnel, according to an official statement issued by the Andhra Pradesh Police on Tuesday. Investigators suspect that the network was involved in an espionage conspiracy that could have implications for India’s national security.
Navy employee among two arrested
The two arrested accused have been identified as Pradeep Mukharjee, a Navy employee posted at the Visakhapatnam naval base, and Annam Sai Varaprasad, a civilian contract driver engaged to provide services to naval officers in Visakhapatnam.
According to the Andhra Pradesh Police, its Counter Intelligence Cell received information about individuals allegedly maintaining direct contact with Pakistan Intelligence Operatives (PIOs). The intelligence inputs pointed towards a possible conspiracy involving the transmission of information considered sensitive from the perspective of national security.
Police said the roles of Mukharjee and Varaprasad were established prima facie before their arrests, while the investigation into the other suspects remains underway.
Mukharjee was apprehended in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, and subsequently brought before a court in Vijayawada. He was remanded to judicial custody until October 14 and is currently lodged in the Vijayawada district jail.
Varaprasad has also been remanded to judicial custody until October 14 and is being held at the same facility.
‘Operation Firewall-2026’ targets suspected spy network
The investigation has been conducted under Operation Firewall-2026, with the Andhra Pradesh Counter Intelligence Cell coordinating with police and intelligence authorities across 10 states to trace the suspected network.
Investigators allege that the two arrested individuals were in contact with Pakistani intelligence operatives and had transmitted sensitive information to them.
The police suspect that information concerning defence establishments and strategically important locations, including installations in and around Visakhapatnam, was shared through encrypted communication channels.
The use of encrypted platforms has added another layer to the investigation as authorities attempt to establish the extent of the alleged information exchange and identify the wider network behind it.
Probe expands beyond two arrests
The seizure of electronic devices from the suspects is expected to form a crucial part of the ongoing investigation. Investigators are examining the material to establish the nature of the communications, the information allegedly transmitted and the identities of other individuals who may have been involved.
With 18 people under the scanner and 13 of them reportedly linked to naval establishments, the investigation could potentially reveal the scale and structure of the suspected espionage network.
