ISLAMABAD: Indian authorities have arrested two contract employees ofCochin Shipyard Limited’s Udupi unit for allegedly transmitting sensitiveIndian Navy data to handlers in Pakistan through WhatsApp for over 18months.
The accused, both hailing from Uttar Pradesh and working as technicalstaff, reportedly shared classified vessel lists, technical specifications,and photographs of ongoing warship projects in exchange for monetaryrewards.
National Investigation Agency and Karnataka Police anti-terror unitscarried out the arrests after intelligence inputs revealed regularcommunication with Pakistan-based numbers linked to suspicious accounts.
Cases have been registered under relevant sections of the Official SecretsAct, 1923, along with charges of criminal conspiracy and waging war againstIndia.
Digital devices seized from the suspects contained hundreds of restricteddocuments and images marked “secret” that were forwarded to multipleWhatsApp groups controlled from across the border.
The incident has triggered an urgent security audit across all defenceshipyards and prompted the Navy to review access protocols for contractworkers handling sensitive projects.
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Defence officials described the breach as a serious insider threat thatcould compromise strategic naval capabilities being developed under ProjectSeabird and other classified programmes.
The probe is now examining whether more employees were part of theespionage network and if similar leaks occurred at other defenceestablishments.
Source:www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/two-arrested-for-leaking-sensitive-naval-data-to-pakistan/article68901234.ece”>https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/two-arrested-for-leaking-sensitive-naval-data-to-pakistan/article68901234.ece