Mumbai: Mazagaon Dockyard Employee Arrested On Spying Charges After Being Honeytrapped By Pakistani Agent

A 31-year-old employee at Mumbai's Mazagaon dockyard has been arrested for allegedly engaging in espionage activities.

The Maharashtra Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) found that he purportedly shared confidential information with an intelligence agent from Pakistan.

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Kalpesh Baikar, who is employed as a structural fabricator at the dockyard, fell victim to a honeytrap scheme and was coerced into leaking sensitive details, according to officials.

A female intelligence operative from Pakistan befriended him through social media, leading to a prolonged interaction over several months, NDTV reported.

It is also reported that Baikar received money in return for the information shared.

The ATS said in a statement that they were alerted about an Indian individual who had been providing sensitive information to a Pakistan-based intelligence operative.

"Accused was interrogated by the Anti-Terrorism Squad. During the investigation, it was found that the suspect was introduced to a Pakistan based intelligence operative (PIO) through Facebook and WhatsApp between November 2021 and May 2023. The suspect chatted with PIO on Facebook, WhatsApp account and was arrested by Indian government," the statement said.

The case has been registered against two people - Baikar and the Pakistani operative to whom he allegedly provided information.

Baikar has been arrested under the Official Secrets Act and is now being questioned by the ATS.

The specific nature of the information Baikar is accused of passing to the Pakistani agent has not been disclosed, with officials stating that an investigation is ongoing.

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