Two Men From Uttar Pradesh Arrested in Udupi for Allegedly Sharing Indian Navy Ship Details With Pakistan
Police say the accused passed sensitive shipyard information through social media for over a year.
The Udupi police on November 20 arrested two men from Uttar Pradesh for allegedly leaking confidential information about Indian Navy ships under construction to contacts in Pakistan.
The accused, Rohit (29) and Santri (37), both residents of Sultanpur district, were picked up from a rented room in Udupi. A local court has remanded them to judicial custody for 14 days.
Udupi Superintendent of Police Hariram Shankar said Rohit had previously worked at Cochin Shipyard and had shifted to Udupi around six months ago. Santri was employed as a contractual insulator through Shushma Marine Private Limited, a subcontractor at the shipyard.
Police allege that for nearly 18 months, Rohit shared sensitive information, including documents and photos, through WhatsApp and Facebook. Investigators say Santri helped him by providing material from inside the shipyard. According to police, the information they shared could have threatened national security.
The case began after the CEO of the Udupi unit of Cochin Shipyard filed a complaint with the Malpe police on November 19. An FIR was registered under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act. A special task force, led by Assistant Superintendent of Police Harsha Priyamvada and PSI D. Anil Kumar, handled the operation.
SP Shankar described Rohit as the primary handler who allegedly received multiple payments for the leaked intelligence. Police now plan to question the employer and look into possible links with others who may have been involved. National security agencies are expected to join the investigation soon.
