Indian authorities arrested a 31-year-old navy sailor on October 3 over allegations that he shared classified defence information with a female operative linked to Pakistani intelligence. The Andhra Pradesh Police Counter Intelligence Cell apprehended Pradeep Mukherjee at INS Agrani, a naval training facility in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
Mukherjee joined the Indian Navy in 2014 and served under the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam. At the time of his arrest, he was attending a Management Development Course at the Coimbatore facility. He originally hails from West Bengal.
According to Indian investigators, the alleged operative first contacted Mukherjee through social media several months ago. She then gradually built a relationship with him over time. Indian officials described this as an online honeytrap. As a result, Mukherjee allegedly disclosed details about naval assets, fleet movements, and operational arrangements at the Visakhapatnam base.
Authorities say they first detected Mukherjee through suspicious digital activity on his devices. In addition, the Counter Intelligence Cell identified unauthorized communication with foreign entities. Officials then placed him under surveillance before carrying out the arrest. After his apprehension, they transferred him to CI headquarters in Vijayawada for interrogation.
The investigation now focuses on several areas. First, authorities want to determine what classified information Mukherjee may have shared. Moreover, they are examining whether any financial transactions took place through hawala channels or digital payments. Investigators also aim to identify the alleged operative and determine whether others were involved.
Neither the Indian Navy nor the Andhra Pradesh Police have released official statements so far. Meanwhile, Pakistan has also not officially commented on the allegations.
This marks at least the fourth espionage-related arrest India has made involving its naval personnel in 2025-2026. In March 2026, Indian authorities arrested another navy seaman for alleged ISI links. Similarly, an Indian Air Force officer faced arrest in May 2026 under the Official Secrets Act. However, none of these cases have produced publicly available verdicts yet.
