Navy staffer held for spying for Pakistan: 13 under scanner, 'honey-trap' used to extricate sensitive info

In a stunning honey trap and money inducement incident, 18 suspects have been identified in an espionage conspiracy, with 13 Indian Navy personnel being alleged of spying for Pakistan , Andhra Pradesh police said.

The Naval staff have been alleged of having provided Pakistan with sensitive information such as movement and number of naval ships and submarines.

Monetary inducements and attempted honey traps were among methods aimed at extracting sensitive information such as movement and number of naval ships and submarines.

Operation Firewall: Navy sailor among two arrested for sharing defence info with Pak operatives

The accused in the latest arrests have been identified as Pradeep Mukherjee, a navy employee from the Visakhapatnam naval base and Annam Sai Varaprasad, a civilian contract driver engaged for naval officers in the same city,

Varaprasad has been alleged of sharing sensitive and classified information relating to naval and defence establishments with PIOs in return for monetary benefits, while Mukherjee is allegedly involved in sharing an OTP for activating a Whatsapp account by a PIO, communicating with the Pakistani operatives, and sharing sensitive information relating to naval and defence establishments.

It has been alleged that the suspects shared information on Visakhapatnam and other parts of the country through encrypted communication channels.

The city is of strategic importance as it hosts the Eastern Naval Command (ENC), Naval Dockyard, Hindustan Shipyard Ltd (HSL) and Visakhapatnam Port.

Fake social media identities

The police counter intelligence cell seized electronic gadgets as the probe continues on the remaining suspects.

According to a PTI report citing government source, the information has been leaked through fake social media identities, honeytrap attempts, monetary inducements, misuse of Indian mobile numbers, Whatsapp activation OTPs, and payments facilitated through cryptocurrency channels and intermediaries.

Persons identified as female Pakistani intelligence officer (PIO) allegedly approached Indian defence personnel through fake profiles on Facebook and Instagram.

"After establishing familiarity and trust, they shifted communication to WhatsApp and engaged the targets through messages, voice calls and video calls. The alleged approach involved false professional identities, misleading promises, sexually explicit content and monetary inducements intended to draw personnel into sharing sensitive defence information," a police press release noted.

Classified information sought

The information sought by Pakistan's intelligence reportedly included movement and number of naval ships and submarines, photographs and videos of naval assets and sensitive establishments, including photographs and details of commanding officers, it said.

There were also attempts to obtain information about sensitive areas of naval establishments, ships and submarines during video calls.

The investigation has revealed that the PIO handlers had identities like ""Joshita Pall" and "Anvi Mehta."

'Honey-trap': Indian Navy sailor held for leaking classified defense data to female Pakistani operative

It has been alleged that "Pall" initiated contact through Facebook and then moved to conversation to WhatsApp.

"She purported to be an employee of a ship-building company in Mumbai and sought information about the movement and number of ships and submarines, photographs, and photographs and details of their commanding officers," said the press release.

Monetary inducements were allegedly offered in exchange for such information while "Anvi Mehta" posed as psychologist based in Delhi.

"Mehta" has been alleged of attempting honeytrap through voice and video calls. She sought photographs of naval ships and sensitive establishments, and attempted to induce personnel to display restricted or sensitive areas during video conversations, said the press release.

Indian mobile numbers and WhatsApp OTPs were used to support the network and it has been found that a support network involving SIM cards obtained in the country under Indian names and the sharing of mobile-number OTPs with PIOs.

"Indian personnel were allegedly offered monetary incentives through cryptocurrency or other intermediaries to share OTPs required to activate whatsapp accounts. Such OTPs were reportedly used to activate whatsapp accounts in Pakistan," said the press release.

These numbers were used to contact targets, attempt honeytrap and collect classified defence information.

The alleged sharing of activation OTPs is therefore being examined as a means of facilitating the wider espionage network.

The probe has also identified an alleged financial arrangement in which funds originating from Pakistan were routed through cryptocurrency channels and traders or other intermediaries to persons drawn into the network.

The operational diagram accompanying the case material illustrates a suspected flow of funds from PIOs through cryptocurrency deposits and transfers, followed by transactions through intermediaries to compromised persons, said the press release.

(With PTI inputs)