Mumbai l
In a major security breach, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested a 27-year-old junior engineer, Ravi Varma, for allegedly leaking sensitive information related to Indian Navy submarines and warships to suspected Pakistani intelligence agents.
Varma, a resident of Atkoneshwar Nagar in Kalwa, worked with a private company that handles maintenance and critical repairs for naval vessels in Mumbai. According to investigators, he shared details about at least 14 naval ships and submarines with six individuals suspected to be Pakistani intelligence operatives (PIOs), who allegedly contacted him on social media while posing as women.
Targeted Through Social Media
Sources suggest the operatives pretended to be students or admirers with a romantic interest in Ravi. Over months, they reportedly gained his trust through emotional conversations. They then convinced him to share technical schematics, security layouts, and other sensitive operational details.
Despite mobile phones being banned in his work environment, Ravi allegedly memorised the information and later sent it via messages and hand-drawn sketches after work hours.
Investigators suspect this could be part of a larger espionage network targeting young professionals in India’s defence sector through digital honeytraps.
Family Speaks Out
Ravi’s mother, Rekha Varma, defended her son.
“He is my only support. My husband is an alcoholic, one of my sons died of cancer, and my daughter is divorced. Ravi had told me about bad women on Facebook. I think someone trapped him.”
She blamed social media for influencing her son and added that Ravi had mentioned wanting to delete his account.
Next Steps
Ravi Varma was presented before a Thane court on Friday and has been remanded to police custody till Monday. The ATS is continuing its investigation to trace the full extent of the information leaked and identify other potential links in the espionage chain.
