“Verma was working as a junior engineer with a firm involved in defence technology. As an employee of the company, he had access to enter the Naval Dockyard in south Mumbai and he used to work at the naval ships,” he said.
Verma was honey-trapped by a Pakistani agent who posed as a woman and befriended him on Facebook, he said.
He was found to have shared sensitive information about a vital installation with the ‘Pakistan Intelligence Operative’ (PIO) through WhatsApp from November 2024 to March 2025, the official said.
Based on a tip-off, officials of the Thane unit of the ATS took Verma into its custody on Wednesday, he said.
A case was registered against him and two more persons who were in contact with him, under section 3 of the Official Secrets Act that deals with espionage, and section 61 (2) (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
After interrogation, Verma was placed under arrest for his alleged involvement in the crime, the official said.
He was produced before a court, which sent him to the ATS custody till Monday, he said.
The ATS is examining his mobile phones and gadgets used in sharing vital information through the social media platform with the PIO, he said.
Further probe in the case was underway. PTI DC KRK NP