Pathankot: In a major counter-espionage breakthrough, the Punjab Police along with central intelligence agencies have uncovered an alleged high-tech spying network suspected of feeding real-time movement details of Indian security forces to handlers based in Pakistan.
The operation, carried out in Pathankot and nearby areas, led to the arrest of three more individuals late on Tuesday night in Gurdaspur, taking the total number of arrests in the case to five so far. Officials said one suspect is still absconding while two others linked to the module are already in custody in separate cases.
Among those arrested is Hardeep Singh, identified as the brother of earlier detained main accused Baljit Singh alias Bittu. Investigators also detained two other local residents and another individual who allegedly attempted to conceal evidence, including hiding a mobile phone linked to the operation.
According to preliminary findings, the accused were allegedly in contact with handlers linked to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence, commonly referred to as Inter-Services Intelligence, and were sharing sensitive information related to movement of Indian Army and paramilitary convoys.
Officials said the network operated by installing CCTV cameras at strategic points along National Highway 44 near Sujanpur, positioning the devices in such a way that they could capture visuals of military and security vehicle movement passing through the route.
The investigation suggests that live footage from these cameras was being transmitted over internet networks to foreign handlers, allegedly providing real-time intelligence on troop and convoy movement in the sensitive border region.
The case was formally registered on May 21 at Sujanpur Police Station after intelligence inputs flagged suspicious activity in the area. Acting on these leads, security agencies launched a coordinated surveillance and interception operation that eventually exposed the alleged network.
Officials have invoked provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita along with other stringent security-related laws as investigations continue into the wider conspiracy, including possible foreign links and funding channels.
Security agencies have described the alleged modus operandi as highly sophisticated, involving careful placement of surveillance equipment in civilian establishments located along key military transit routes. Authorities are now working to identify additional operatives and trace the remaining absconding suspect.
