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In a major counter-espionage operation, Amritsar Rural Police has arrested an Indian Army jawan and his aide suspected of espionage activities linked to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
The arrested accused have been identified as Gurpreet Singh alias Gopy Foji, a resident of Dhariwal in Amritsar— presently, serving in the Indian Army’s Sikh Regiment in Jammu; and his associate Sahil Masih, alias Shali, a resident of Dhariwal in Amritsar.
The DGP said that two mobile phones containing virtual numbers, reportedly used to communicate with ISI operatives, have been recovered from the possession of both the accused. Further investigations are underway to dismantle the broader espionage-terror network and identify all collaborators in this case, he said.
Sharing more details, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Amritsar Rural Maninder Singh said that accused Gurpreet was recruited into the Army in 2016 and systematically exploited his official position to collect, store, and transmit classified military information via pen drives and discs.
The espionage network was reportedly facilitated by an acquaintance identified as Arjan, a Dubai-based drug trafficker from Dhariwal, who introduced Gurpreet to ISI operatives five months ago, he said, while adding that since then, Gurpreet has actively engaged in the unauthorised collection and relay of sensitive military data to the ISI using pre-decided drop locations.
The SSP said that in lieu of this espionage activity, Gurpreet was receiving monetary compensation through a complex financial network involving intermediary bank accounts of friends, relatives, and foreign associates to evade detection. In an intelligence-led operation, police teams have arrested Gurpreet and his associate Sahil, while they were attempting another handover of sensitive data, he said.
The official said that further investigations are in progress to unravel the wider nexus and identify additional conspirators, both domestic and foreign-based.
A case has been registered under sections 3, 5, and 9 of the Official Secrets Act and section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the Lopoke police station in Amritsar Rural.
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