Gujarat ATS Arrests Man For Leaking Coast Guard Intel To Pakistani Agent For Rs 200/Day

A contractual worker has been apprehended by the Gujarat unit of the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) for allegedly leaking sensitive information about the movements of Indian Coast Guard (ICG) ships.

Dipesh Gohil, employed at the Okha port, reportedly received Rs 200 per day in exchange for relaying details about Coast Guard vessels and had amassed Rs 42,000 from a Pakistani agent, reported India Today.

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Dipesh, who came into contact with the agent through Facebook, maintained communication via WhatsApp. The Pakistani spy, using the alias "Sahima," befriended Dipesh online and later requested information about the names and numbers of Coast Guard boats stationed at Okha port. The identity of the agent remains undisclosed.

Gujarat ATS officer K Siddharth stated, "We received information that a man from Okha was sharing details about the Coast Guard boat with an agent of Pakistan's Navy or the ISI through WhatsApp. Following an investigation, we arrested Dipesh Gohil, a resident of Okha. The number Dipesh was in contact with was traced to Pakistan."

Dipesh, who had direct access to vessels at the port, allegedly had the money sent to a friend's account as he lacked one of his own. He then withdrew the cash from his friend, claiming it was payment for welding work.

K Siddharth further explained, "Pakistan's Navy or ISI agents are seeking people who can provide information about Indian Coast Guard boats for a small sum. For a long time, Gujarat's Anti-Terrorism Squad, working with the Coast Guard, has been intercepting drugs along India's maritime borders. In such cases, details about Coast Guard boats could be valuable to Pakistan's military and agents. During a conflict, sharing this information could be especially dangerous for us."

This arrest follows the apprehension of another individual, Pankaj Kotia, in Porbandar last month for passing information about a Coast Guard vessel to a Pakistani operative.