Mumbai Dockyard Worker Arrested for Spying, Was Honeytrapped by Pak Agent

Mumbai: In a concerning security breach, a 31-year-old officer at the Mazagaon Dockyard in Mumbai has been arrested on charges of espionage. The Maharashtra Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) alleged that the officer, identified as Kalpesh Baikar was honeytrapped and blackmailed into leaking sensitive information to a Pakistan-based intelligence operative.

According to ATS officials, Baikar was befriended on social media by a Pakistani woman believed to be an agent. Their online interaction reportedly spanned several months, during which Baikar was allegedly manipulated into disclosing classified information. Investigators suspect that he may have also received financial compensation in exchange for the leaked data.

The ATS initiated an investigation upon receiving intelligence about a potential leak of sensitive information by an Indian national. “The interrogation of the accused revealed that between November 2021 and May 2023, he interacted with a Pakistan-based intelligence operative (PIO) via Facebook and WhatsApp,” an official statement disclosed. “The suspect has been apprehended and is currently undergoing questioning.”

The case has been registered against both Baikar and the unidentified Pakistani agent he allegedly provided information to. Authorities have not yet disclosed the specific nature of the leaked information, citing the ongoing investigation.