Pakistani national among 2 chargesheeted in Indian Navy spying case: NIA

New Delhi, July 19

The anti-terror federal probe agency NIA on Wednesday said it has filed a charge sheet against two persons, including a suspected Pakistani national, in a case relating to espionage case, which was unearthed in Andhra Pradesh in relation to the Indian Navy earlier this year.

The NIA in an official statement said the charge sheet was filed against Akash Solanki (21) of Uttar Pradesh and absconding Pakistani operative Meer Balaj Khan under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in the Special Court, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh.

The agency said the case was registered initially at the Counter Intelligence Cell Police Station, Vijayawada, and was later taken over by the NIA on June 5 this year. Two persons, including Solanki, have so far been arrested in the case, it added.

The NIA has alleged that accused Solanki, who was working as an Electrical Artificer Radio Apprentice (EAC) at the Visakhapatnam Naval Dockyard, was passing on classified information relating to the Indian Navy warships and submarines.

“He was sharing the information with a suspected Pakistani intelligence operative, operating under the assumed identity of ‘Aditi Chouhan’, as well as other unidentified individuals,” the NIA said.

Investigations in the case have also revealed that Solanki had been receiving monetary compensation from another suspected Pakistani operative Meer Balaj Khan through crypto channels in exchange for the information, it added.

“Khan’s credentials obtained from Binance (leading Crypto-currency exchange) disclosed a Pakistan ID card during investigations,” the NIA said.

Along with other Pakistan Intelligence agents, they were involved in the espionage racket in which sensitive information pertaining to the Indian Navy was being leaked as part of an anti-India conspiracy, the agency alleged.