Mumbai: The Mumbai ATS arrested a Pakistani Intelligence Operative (PIO) involved in espionage activities in sensitive areas. The police and the ATSA had received information from reliable sources, regarding a PIO gathering information from sensitive areas against the government and trying to pass it on to his Pakistani handlers.
Based on this information an Indian national was placed under surveillance by the authorities. The individual was later arrested from Nagpur. The arrest took place in 2024. Investigations revealed that between November 2024 to March 2025, the person reportedly extracted sensitive information about India, using WhatsApp and shared it with his Pakistani handlers.
These were reportedly classified information, about strategic and sensitive locations of India.
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The police have booked 3 people in the case, including the 1 who has been arrested. They have been charged under Sections 3(1)(c) and 5(a) of the Official Secrets Act, 1923 and Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
Currently investigations are on in the matter. They are being held under the supervision of the Anti-Terrorism Squad and efforts are on to dig out the full espionage network. The arrest comes close on the heels of several earlier arrests of individuals in North India, who have been picked up under espionage charges. The most infamous among them being YouTuber Jyoti Malohtra who is currently in custody of the Haryana Police.
