Navy Sailor Arrested in Coimbatore Over Alleged Honey-Trap Data Leak

The Andhra Pradesh Police Counter Intelligence (CI) Cell arrested 31-year-old Indian Navy sailor Pradeep Mukherjee in Coimbatore on October 3 for allegedly sharing sensitive defence information with a Pakistani intelligence operative through a social media-based honey trap. Mukherjee, a native of West Bengal, joined the Navy in 2014 and is posted under the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam. He was arrested at INS Agrani while attending a management development course.

According to officials, a woman suspected to be linked to Pakistani intelligence had reportedly contacted Mukherjee on social media several months ago and allegedly obtained sensitive information about strategic naval assets, fleet movements and operational arrangements at the Visakhapatnam naval base. The CI Cell reportedly detected suspicious digital activity, placed him under surveillance and subsequently arrested him. The investigation is continuing to determine the extent of the information allegedly shared.