Andhra Police’s counter‑intelligence unit swept through Visakhapatnam and Coimbatore on Thursday, taking two men into custody as part of a larger probe that has already detained 18 suspects, 13 of whom are naval personnel. The operation, code‑named Firewall 2026, was launched on Oct. 1 and deployed 12 officials across ten states, coordinating with state anti‑terror squads and naval authorities.
Varaprasad, a civilian contract driver who routinely ferried naval officers, is alleged to have sold classified data about naval bases and defence establishments to a Pakistan‑based operative, receiving cash in return. The driver’s role—once a routine job—now stands under a cloud of espionage.
Mukherjee, employed at the Visakhapatnam naval base, faces charges of handing over an OTP used to activate a PIO’s WhatsApp account and transmitting other sensitive information. His alleged communications were routed through encrypted channels, a tactic that has drawn sharp scrutiny from security agencies.
The case, filed on Sept. 2 under the UAPA and Official Secrets Act, will be heard in Vijayawada courts. Prosecutors seek long‑term detention pending trial, citing the national security implications of the leaked data.
For the small family that lives across from the naval base, the news has cast a long shadow over their everyday routine—one that will now include the legal battles that loom ahead.