Naval Espionage Case: Thane Court Extends Engineer's Custody; Financial Footprints Lead ATS To Spy Network Linked To Pakistani Agents

Mumbai: A Thane district court has extended the police custody of Ravi Muralidhar Verma, a 27-year-old mechanical engineer arrested on charges of espionage, until June 5. Verma, employed as a junior engineer at a private defense firm, is accused of leaking sensitive information related to Indian naval assets to Pakistani intelligence operatives.

The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of Maharashtra sought an eight-day extension of Verma's custody, citing the need to interrogate his colleagues and conduct further searches at his workplace. However, the court granted a three-day extension.

According to ATS officials, Verma was allegedly lured into passing on confidential data after being honey-trapped by a Pakistani agent posing as a woman named Priti Jaiswal on Facebook. The accused reportedly shared sketches, diagrams, and audio notes containing sensitive naval information, and received payments from the ghost account.

According to the ATS sources, investigations reveal that Verma received Rs 9,000 from the alleged Pakistani agent, Priti Jaiswal. The relationship reportedly began in November 2024 via social media, where Jaiswal cultivated a romantic connection with Verma. Capitalizing on his financial vulnerabilities, she introduced him to an unidentified foreign handler known only as “Sir.” Under promises of sustained financial support and coaxed him into sharing restricted naval information.ATS sources suggest Verma later demanded larger sums to cover personal expenses and home loan EMIs in exchange for more sensitive disclosures.

The defense, led by Advocate Rupali Shinde,stated that Rs 2,000 was sent by a woman named Preeti jaiswal purportedly for Verma’s niece’s expenses, and that time her client was unaware she was a pakistan intelligence operative. “My client has been cooperating with the ATS officials since November 2024. Had he been aware that he will be arrested by ATS, he would have taken anticipatory bail to seek relief from the court,” Shinde told FPJ.

Sharing the investigation to the court Maharashtra ATS officials stated that a small blue diary was recovered from Ravi Verma’s residence. The prosecution asserted that Verma may be concealing critical information, and the diary is believed to contain material that warrants further scrutiny. Although only two pages of the palm-sized diary are filled reportedly with a series of numerical entries,investigators consider it potentially significant. Additionally, voice messages allegedly sent by Verma are currently under forensic analysis. Agency is also seeking more information about a mysterious foreign handler referred to only as "Sir," who is believed to have played a central role in directing Verma’s alleged activities.

The defense lawyer said that Verma has been cooperating with the investigation from the beginning. No maps were recovered from him, and he was arrested without any prior notice. The diary found in his possession does not contain any anti-national content, only work-related information. ATS did not find any SIM cards on him, “My client, who seems to be innocent, was honey trapped by a Pakistani agent,” she added.