NIA carries out searches in Pakistan-led Visakhapatnam espionage case

New Delhi, August 29

In a massive crackdown in the Pakistan-led Visakhapatnam espionage case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) searched multiple locations in seven states across India.
 
Extensive searches were conducted at 16 locations in Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Haryana in the case related to leakage of classified defence information through a Pakistani ISI espionage racket. The premises searched by NIA teams were linked with suspects who had received money from Pakistan to undertake spying activities in India.
 
A total of 22 mobile phones  and a host of sensitive documents were seized during the searches conducted by NIA, which had, in July 2023, taken over the instant case, originally registered in January 2021 by the Counter Intelligence Cell, Andhra Pradesh. The case involved leakage of sensitive vital information pertaining to the Indian Navy as part of an anti-India conspiracy hatched from across the border.
 
NIA had, on 19th July, 2023, filed a chargesheet against two accused, including an absconding Pakistani national, Meer Balaj Khan. Investigations had revealed that Meer Balaj Khan, along with an arrested accused, Akash Solanki, had been involved in the espionage racket.
 
On 6th November 2023, the NIA had filed a supplementary chargesheet against two other accused persons, identified as Manmohan Surendra Panda and Alven. While Panda has been arrested, Alven, a Pakistani Intelligence Operative, is absconding. In May 2024, NIA filed its second supplementary chargesheet against one accused, Amaan Salim Shaikh, conspiring with Pakistan Intelligence Operatives.