A high-stakes espionage breach involving the Eastern Naval Command has led to the detention of a serving naval personnel for transmitting critical defence secrets across the border. Acting on specific leads, the Counter Intelligence Cell of the Andhra Pradesh Police arrested 31-year-old sailor Pradeep Mukherjee on October 3 from the naval training establishment INS Agrani located in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Mukherjee, hailing from West Bengal, stands accused of falling prey to a social media operation orchestrated by an operative linked to the Pakistani intelligence agency ISI, subsequently passing confidential military material to foreign handlers.
Posting at Visakhapatnam Naval Base
Mukherjee was inducted into the Indian Navy in the year 2014 and had been serving under the Eastern Naval Command stationed at Visakhapatnam. Just seven days prior to his detention, he had traveled to Coimbatore to attend a scheduled leadership and management training course. Information gathered during the inquiry reveals that the Pakistani female handler initiated contact with Mukherjee on social media platforms several months ago. Over time, the handler cultivated the connection and gradually extracted critical intelligence concerning the Visakhapatnam naval base, strategic naval warship movements, and sensitive fleet operations.
Digital Surveillance Led to Navy Approvals
The specialized Counter Intelligence Cell, which operates to tackle high-security vulnerabilities, cross-border espionage networks, and terror structures, placed Mukherjee under sustained surveillance after detecting anomalous digital footprints. Once evidence confirmed that protected defence details were actively being transmitted, investigators formally approached naval authorities to secure mandatory clearances before executing the arrest at the Coimbatore training facility.
Custodial Interrogation in Vijayawada and Financial Probes
Following the apprehension, investigators produced the sailor before a local magistrate to secure a transit warrant, allowing his transfer to the Counter Intelligence headquarters situated in Vijayawada for thorough custodial questioning. Investigative agencies are currently mapping the exact nature and volume of the compromised military files. Concurrently, sleuths are examining financial trails to verify whether Mukherjee received monetary compensation through digital payment channels or illicit hawala networks in exchange for the sensitive data.
