Punjab espionage case: Jalandhar police arrest three for allegedly leaking sensitive information to Pakistan
Punjab espionage case: The Jalandhar police have arrested three for leaking sensitive information to Pakistan in a major operation linked to an alleged cross-border espionage network. The accused have been identified as Pradeep Singh, Bharat Verma and Sachin Khosla, all residents of Kamal Vihar in Jalandhar.
According to Police Commissioner Satinder Singh, the Jalandhar Police arrested the trio for leaking sensitive information to Pakistan after an investigation revealed that the accused were allegedly sharing information related to government departments with Pakistan at the instructions of Shahzad Bhatti and Harmaj Gujjar. A case has been registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The Jalandhar police arrested the three for leaking sensitive information to Pakistan after collecting evidence during the investigation. The police said the accused were allegedly in contact with Pakistan-based gangster Shahzad Bhatti through social media and were passing on information about government activities in Punjab as well as other states.
The Police Commissioner said the suspects had been active for the past three to four months. During interrogation, investigators found that they had allegedly collected and shared sensitive information from different locations in exchange for large sums of money.
The police also claimed that the accused encouraged other young individuals to gather and pass on information in return for financial rewards. Officials said Pradeep Singh was the first to establish contact with Shahzad Bhatti through social media, after which Bharat Verma and Sachin Khosla also became part of the alleged network.
The accused have been booked under the UAPA and further investigation is underway. Due to national security concerns, the Police Commissioner said the department cannot disclose the evidence collected at this stage.
The police said Bharat Verma also has a previous criminal case related to assault. Investigators believe more people may be involved in the network and three to four more arrests are expected in the coming days.
Officials further stated that the investigation has revealed the alleged involvement of the accused in one of the recent blast cases. However, the police have not shared additional details, saying more information will be disclosed after further arrests and investigation.
- PTC NEWS
