Acting swiftly, Punjab Police have arrested Gagandeep Singh of Tarn Taran for sharing sensitive information concerning army movements during Operation Sindoor, Director General of Police Guarav Yadav said on Tuesday.
The accused had been in contact with the Pakistan's ISI and Khalistani supporter Gopal Singh Chawla.Investigations have revealed that he was engaged in sharing classified details, including troop deployments and strategic locations, posing a threat to national security, DGP Yadav wrote on the social media platform X.
Preliminary investigation revealed that Singh had been in touch with Pakistan-based Khalistani supporter Chawla for the past five years, through whom he was introduced to the Pakistani intelligence operatives.
He also received payments from operatives via Indian channels, the DGP said.The police have recovered a mobile phone containing intelligence that Singh shared with Pakistan, as well as details of over 20 ISI contacts.
"Thorough financial and technical investigations are underway to trace other linkages and establish the full scope of this espionage network," the DGP added.A first information report (FIR) has been registered under the Official Secrets Act at the police station (city) in Tarn Taran town, and further investigation is in progress.
Earlier, Punjab Police arrested two people, including a 31-year-old woman, for their alleged involvement in espionage activities linked to an official posted at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. Those arrested were identified as Gazala and Yameen Mohamad, both residents of Malerkotla in Punjab.
Police teams had recovered two mobile phones from their possession. Their arrest came days after Amritsar (Rural) Police arrested two people, Falaksher Masih and Suraj Masih, for their alleged role in leaking sensitive information and photographs of army cantonment areas and air bases to Pakistan’s intelligence agency.
DGP Yadav had said that the preliminary investigation revealed that the arrested accused had been receiving payments through online transactions in exchange for sharing classified information. They were in frequent contact with the handler and were involved in channelling funds to other local operatives as per his instructions.
Accused Gazala was arrested for leaking sensitive information regarding Indian Army movements to a Pakistan-based handler.Based on disclosures made by her during interrogation, a second conduit identified as Yameen Mohamad was also identified and taken into custody.
Accused Gazala admitted that she was doing it in lieu of money, and the accused official has sent her Rs 30,000 in two transactions - Rs 10,000 and Rs 20,000 via UPI.