A 31-year-old Indian Navy sailor has been arrested on allegations of passing classified maritime intelligence to a Pakistani operative after reportedly being ensnared in a social media-based honey trap.

The sailor, identified as Pradeep Mukherjee, was taken into custody on 3 October at INS Agrani in Coimbatore by the Andhra Pradesh Police Counter Intelligence (CI) cell. Authorities allege that he transmitted sensitive information linked to Indian naval operations.

Mukherjee, a native of West Bengal, had been attending a management development course at the naval leadership training establishment and had spent around a week at the facility before investigators moved in.

He joined the Indian Navy in 2014 and was serving with the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam at the time of the alleged offence.

According to investigators, a woman suspected of being associated with Pakistani intelligence established contact with the sailor several months ago through social media. The online relationship allegedly developed over time and was subsequently used to gain access to sensitive military information.

Investigators suspect that details relating to strategic naval assets, fleet movements and aspects of the operational framework of the Visakhapatnam naval base were shared. The extent of the information allegedly transmitted remains under investigation.

The case forms part of a wider espionage probe being handled by the Andhra Pradesh Police Counter Intelligence unit, a specialised agency responsible for tackling cross-border espionage activities and terror-related threats.

The inquiry reportedly began after authorities detected suspicious digital activity linked to Mukherjee. Investigators are understood to have monitored his communications and digital footprint before carrying out the arrest.

Officials are now assessing the full scope of the alleged security breach, including whether any additional individuals may have been involved and whether the information shared could have affected operational security. Reports indicate that agencies are examining the broader dimensions of the suspected espionage network.

The arrest highlights continuing concerns within Indian security agencies regarding honey-trap operations conducted through social media platforms, where intelligence handlers are alleged to cultivate online relationships with military personnel in an attempt to gather sensitive information. The case remains under investigation.

Agencies