Vizag ISI espionage case: NIA searches homes of suspects in Gujarat, Maharashtra

Hyderabad: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday conducted extensive searches at three locations in Gujarat and Maharashtra.

The searches were a part of cracking down on suspects involved in the 2021 Visakhapatnam Pakistani ISI espionage case relating to leakage of classified defence information.

Incriminating material found at suspects’ homes

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. Several incriminating materials, including mobile phones and documents, were seized during the searches.

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.

A Pakistani national among the accused

The NIA took over the case in June 2023, and on July 19 of the same year, 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.

Further investigation into the case is in progress.