New Delhi: In a major security breach, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has arrested a contractual worker for allegedly sharing sensitive information about the movement of Indian Coast Guard (ICG) ships with a Pakistani agent.
The contractual employee has been identified as Dipesh Gohil. Employed at the Okha port, Gohil reportedly received Rs 200 per day for providing details to the agent, accumulating a total of Rs 42,000 over an undisclosed period.
The Pakistani agent, using the alias “Sahima,” initially contacted Gohil through Facebook before shifting communication to WhatsApp. The agent’s precise identity and affiliation with either the Pakistani Navy or the ISI remain unclear. However, the ATS investigation traced the contact number to Pakistan.
According to Gujarat ATS officer K Siddharth, the investigation began after information surfaced regarding a potential leak of Coast Guard information from Okha port. Gohil’s easy access to the vessels stationed there made him a valuable asset to the Pakistani spy network. Lacking a bank account, Gohil received the payments through a friend’s account, masking the transactions as payment for welding work.
The ATS emphasises the potential danger of this information leak. The knowledge of Coast Guard movements could prove invaluable to Pakistan in the event of a conflict, or in assisting with smuggling operations, given the Coast Guard’s crucial role in intercepting drug smuggling and other illegal maritime activities along India’s coast. “Pakistan’s Navy or ISI agents are seeking people who can provide information about Indian Coast Guard boats for a small sum. For a long time, Gujarat’s Anti-Terrorism Squad, working with the Coast Guard, has been intercepting drugs along India’s maritime borders. In such cases, details about Coast Guard boats could be valuable to Pakistan’s military and agents. During a conflict, sharing this information could be especially dangerous for us, K Siddharth was quoted as saying by India Today.
This arrest mirrors a similar incident in October, where Pankaj Kotia was apprehended from Porbandar for providing similar information to a Pakistani spy.
