An Indian Navy official posted with the Southern Naval Command in Kerala’s Kochi has been arrested for allegedly spying for Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI. The accused has been identified as Lance Naik Adarsh Kumar alias Lucky, a resident of Agra in Uttar Pradesh.
According to the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), intelligence inputs indicated that an individual was in contact with a Pakistan-based ISI agent and was involved in espionage activities against India. Acting on this information, the UP ATS developed the case through electronic and physical surveillance.
During the investigation, the name of Adarsh Kumar, son of Balveer Singh, surfaced. He was serving as a Lance Naik in the Indian Navy and was posted at the Southern Naval Command in Kochi.
Investigators found evidence suggesting that Adarsh Kumar had established contact with a Pakistan-based ISI operative. It was also revealed that he had transferred money to the ISI agent from his bank account and allegedly shared photographs of strategically sensitive naval assets, including warships.
After these facts were confirmed during the investigation, and due to his alleged involvement in anti-national activities and criminal links with the Pakistan-based intelligence network, UP ATS arrested him on March 10.
Following his arrest, he was produced before the competent court, which remanded him to judicial custody as per legal procedure.
ISI's history of creating unrest in India
The Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan’s main intelligence agency, has long been supporting militant groups that operate against Indian interests. ISI has historically provided funding, training and logistical help to organisations involved in attacks in regions such as Jammu and Kashmir.
The issue has remained a major source of tension between India and Pakistan, especially following major incidents like the 2008 Mumbai attacks, where the agency played a key role.
ISI also became quite active in Bangladesh to create unrest in India from the eastern front after the ouster of Sheikh Hasina. Pakistani spy agency ISI's Director General of Analysis Maj Gen Shahid Amir Afsar and certain other officials visited Bangladesh in January.
