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Cracking down on suspects involved in the 2021 Visakhapatnam Pakistani ISI espionage case relating to leakage of classified defence information, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted extensive searches at three locations in Gujarat and Maharashtra on Friday.
The residences of the suspects, believed to have received money from Pakistan to spy on Indian defence establishments, were thoroughly searched by NIA teams at three locations, the NIA stated in a release. "Several incriminating materials, including mobile phones and documents, were seized during the searches," it added. NIA is examining the seized materials to identify more linkages in the case, originally filed by the Counter Intelligence Cell, Andhra Pradesh, on January 12, 2021, under various sections of IPC, UA(P) Act and Official Secrets Act, 1923. The NIA took over the case in June 2023, and on July 19, 2023, it 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. NIA investigations have revealed that Pakistani nationals had collaborated with the arrested accused in the espionage racket, in which sensitive/vital information pertaining to the Indian Navy was being leaked as part of a conspiracy to unleash terrorist violence in India, the release stated. Further investigation in the case is underway. (ANI)
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