Mumbai: The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) was granted a five-day extension of custody for Kalpesh Baikar, the accused who allegedly compromised with national security by sharing 25 sketches detailing warships, submarines, including INS Udaigiri, with Pakistani intelligence operatives (PIOs), which were brought for repair and upgradation at Mazgaon Dockyard.The ATS has been granted custody of the accused till March 19.
The ATS sought custody of the accused on the ground that they need more time to investigate all the sketches. “We have sent all the sketches to Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd and asked which one sketches are sensitive and threat to the nation,” stated ATS before the court. They further added that they would require the accused to investigate as he had shared all these sketches.
All the sketches shared by the accused had minute details like the length, number of turns and the missile positions among others. Sharing the progress of investigation before the Court ATS revealed that Baikar was in contact with a fictitious person named Sonali Sharma, who was actually a Pakistan-based Intelligence Operative (PIO), through Facebook and WhatsApp chats.
ATS informed the court upon that verifying the mobile number used by the PIO agent posing as Sonali Sharma for chats with Baikar, it found that the number was registered in Gujarat. This led the ATS team to Gujarat, where the agency found that the number belonged to a fisherman. However, he had not used it for the past several years.
“Around six-seven years ago, The fisherman was arrested by Pakistani security forces during a deep-sea fishing expedition and was then sent to a Pakistani jail. His phone and other belongings were confiscated by Pakistani security forces. After serving three and a half years in jail, he was released and returned to India. However, the Pakistani forces did not return his mobile phone, SIM card, and other seized belongings.
According to ATS that number was used to Honeytrap and extract details of warships, submarines from arrested accused kalpesh baikar. According to ATS Kalpesh Baikar, a resident of Alibaug taluka in Raigad had also voice and video calls with Saloni Sharma, there were two audio and video calls on WhatsApp. In the video calls, Baikar saw a girl. The ATS stated before the court that it is necessary to investigate all these and additional custody would be required
