Indian Navy personnel arrested by UP ATS for allegedly spying for Pakistan’s ISI after social media honey trap | Lucknow News

LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has arrested a 24-year-old Indian Navy seaman from Agra for allegedly spying for Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI and sharing sensitive military information after being honey-trapped through social media nearly three years ago.Officials said the accused was in contact with a handler linked to Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan’s intelligence agency, and had allegedly transmitted sensitive material related to Indian naval assets.According to ATS on Tuesday, intelligence inputs had been received indicating that a person working in a sensitive defence establishment had come under the influence of a Pakistan-based intelligence operative and was passing on confidential information related to India’s defence infrastructure.Surveillance leads investigators to Navy personnelFollowing the input, ATS teams began developing the information through electronic surveillance, technical monitoring, and physical verification. During the course of the investigation, the name of Adarsh Kumar alias Lucky (24) surfaced.The accused is a resident of Cheetpur village under Kagarol police station in Agra district and was serving in the Indian Navy. Officials said he was posted as a leading seaman at the Southern Naval Command in Kochi, Kerala, a strategically important naval formation.Investigators said technical evidence and communication records indicated that Adarsh had established contact with a Pakistan-based ISI handler, following which he allegedly began sharing sensitive information.Honey trap through social mediaAccording to ATS officials, the probe revealed that around three years ago the accused was honey-trapped through social media by a woman profile allegedly operated by an ISI-linked handler.Initially, the communication reportedly started as a friendly interaction on social media platforms. Over time, the handler allegedly gained Adarsh’s trust and gradually persuaded him to share information related to his work and posting.Investigators said that once the relationship developed, the handler began pressuring him to send sensitive information and photographs related to naval installations and assets.Sensitive images of warships allegedly sharedDuring the investigation, ATS officials found that the accused had allegedly shared photographs and information related to strategically important naval assets, including images of warships, with the Pakistan-based handler.Officials said such information is considered highly sensitive from a national security perspective as it could potentially reveal operational or logistical details of military assets.The probe also revealed that the accused had transferred money from his personal bank account to the ISI-linked contact, indicating financial transactions linked to the espionage activity.Arrest and judicial custodyAfter verifying the evidence and establishing his alleged involvement in anti-national activities, the ATS arrested Adarsh Kumar on March 10, 2026.He was subsequently produced before a competent court, which remanded him to judicial custody, officials said.Wider espionage angle under probeOfficials said the investigation is continuing to determine the exact nature and extent of classified information shared, the duration of his contact with the ISI network, and whether other individuals may have been involved or targeted through similar honey-trap tactics.The ATS is also examining communication devices, digital records, and financial transactions of the accused to trace the full network and understand the operational methods used by the suspected Pakistani intelligence handler