Kerala Man Posing As PMO Official Held For Attempting To Extract Sensitive Naval Info On INS Vikrant

Investigators quickly traced the origin of the call to Kozhikode, leading to the arrest of the suspect, identified as Mujeeb, on Monday.

Mujeeb was transported to Kochi for further interrogation by a multi-agency team, including senior police officials.

Source : PTI

In a serious security breach amid heightened national vigilance under Operation Sindoor, Kerala Police arrested a man on Monday for impersonating a Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) official in an attempt to obtain classified information regarding INS Vikrant, India's first indigenously built aircraft carrier.

Call Made By 'Raghavan From PMO'

The incident began last Friday when authorities at the Kochi Naval Base received a suspicious phone call. The caller, identifying himself as “Raghavan from the PMO” asked for details about the current deployment of INS Vikrant, reported Deccan Herald. Sensing something amiss, naval personnel immediately alerted local law enforcement and lodged a formal complaint.

The investigators quickly traced the origin of the call to Kozhikode, leading to the arrest of the suspect, identified as Mujeeb, on Monday. His mobile phone had been switched off in a failed attempt to avoid detection after learning that a case had been registered. Despite this, police tracked his number and apprehended him with assistance from central intelligence agencies, reported Times of India.

Mujeeb was transported to Kochi for further interrogation by a multi-agency team, including senior police officials. Authorities stated that he initially denied involvement and gave inconsistent statements during questioning. While his family claimed that he has been under psychiatric treatment since 2021, the full scope of his intentions remains under investigation.

According to City Police Commissioner Putta Vimaladitya, Mujeeb is currently in judicial custody, and police are expected to request additional time for questioning to dig deeper into the motive and background of the impersonation attempt, reported The New Indian Express.

The incident has raised serious concerns about national security, especially considering that INS Vikrant, built at the Cochin Shipyard, symbolises a major milestone in India's maritime defense capabilities.