AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested an Indian citizen, Dinesh Gohil, on charges of espionage, dealing a significant blow in the fight against spying.
The arrest follows weeks of surveillance after critical information about the Indian Coast Guard and maritime border operations was found to have been leaked to Pakistan.
Acting on a tip-off, the ATS closely monitored Gohil, a resident of Okha, before detaining him. During the investigation, authorities uncovered that he had shared highly classified details about the Coast Guard.
In a press release, the Gujarat ATS stated, “A sub-inspector received intel suggesting Dipesh Gohel, a resident of Dwarka district, had been in contact with Pakistani Army or ISI agents via WhatsApp for some time. Upon receiving the tip-off, the ATS formed a team, summoned Gohel to their Ahmedabad office, and began questioning.”
The investigations revealed that Gohel, a Coast Guard boat repairman at Okha Jetty for three years, connected seven months ago with a Facebook profile named 'Sahima,' allegedly belonging to a woman claiming to work for the Pakistan Navy. The release added, “‘Sahima’ also engaged Gohel on WhatsApp.”
According to the Gujarat ATS, the Facebook profile "Sahima" allegedly promised Dipesh Gohel a monthly deposit of ₹200 in exchange for information about Coast Guard ships stationed at Okha port. Lured by money, Gohel provided 'Sahima' with the names and numbers of boats at Okha jetty daily via WhatsApp.
An ATS official stated, “He also shared UPI-linked numbers of his friends to receive payments. Over the past seven to eight months, ‘Sahima’ reportedly transferred ₹42,000 to these accounts.” The investigation further revealed that the WhatsApp account of 'Sahima' was being operated from Pakistan.
"As a result, a case has been registered against Dipesh Gohel under Sections 61 and 148 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for sharing Indian Coast Guard information with Pakistani spies, and legal action has been initiated," officials said.
The arrest follows another recent case. A month ago, Gujarat ATS received a tip-off about a Porbandar resident allegedly in contact with Pakistan’s ISI or army and leaking sensitive information. The suspect, Pankaj Kotia, was placed under surveillance and later detained. During interrogation, Kotia confessed to sharing classified details about the Porbandar Coast Guard jetty and Indian Coast Guard boats via social media.
This comes after yet another similar spy incident in the Devbhoomi Dwarka district, highlighting a concerning pattern of espionage activities targeting critical maritime infrastructure.