Indian Naval Personnel Detained For Alleged Intelligence Breach During Military Operations
Intelligence agencies have apprehended a naval clerk stationed at the Indian Navy's Delhi headquarters on suspicions of transmitting classified military intelligence to Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency, including sensitive data during the recent Operation Sindoor military campaign.
Vishal Yadav, a Haryana resident working as a clerical staff member at Navy headquarters, was detained by Rajasthan police intelligence units following extensive surveillance operations. Investigators allege that Yadav maintained regular communication with a Pakistani intelligence handler who posed as an Indian woman named Priya Sharma through various social media platforms.
According to senior police official Vishnukant Gupta, the Criminal Investigation Department's intelligence division had been tracking Pakistani espionage activities when they identified Yadav's suspicious communications. The accused allegedly transmitted confidential details about naval operations and other defense installations to his foreign contact, receiving financial compensation through cryptocurrency transactions and direct bank transfers.
Digital forensic analysis of Yadav's mobile device revealed years of data exchanges and communications, including information shared during Operation Sindoor, the military response to the Pahalgam terrorist incident that resulted in over 26 civilian casualties. The four-day military confrontation between Indian and Pakistani forces occurred from May 7 to 10.
Investigators discovered that Yadav's involvement in online gaming had led to substantial financial losses, potentially making him vulnerable to recruitment by foreign intelligence services. Multiple security agencies are currently questioning the suspect at Jaipur's Central Interrogation Centre to determine the full scope of the security breach and identify any additional conspirators.
This arrest forms part of a broader nationwide security sweep targeting suspected Pakistani intelligence networks operating within India. Recent detentions include Shakur Khan, a Rajasthan government employee from Jaisalmer, and Haryana-based content creator Jyoti Malhotra, both facing similar espionage allegations. Malhotra allegedly maintained contact with Pakistani diplomatic personnel in New Delhi during the Operation Sindoor period.
The intensified crackdown on espionage activities follows heightened security concerns after the Pahalgam attack, with authorities working to dismantle suspected intelligence networks that may have compromised national security through social media recruitment and digital communication channels.
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