Naval Espionage Case: Pakistani Agents Used Indian Numbers to Honeytrap Engineer Ravi Verma, Says Maharashtra ATS

Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), which is probing the high-profile espionage case involving Ravi Verma, has made a significant revelation in its ongoing investigation. According to ATS sources, women operatives of Pakistan’s intelligence wing, Pakistan Intelligence Operative (PIO), working under ISI, used Indian SIM cards to entrap the accused through a honeytrap.

The agency discovered that all 5-6 mobile numbers used to contact Ravi Verma were registered with Indian telecom operators. The ATS is currently investigating how these Indian SIM cards were procured by the Pakistani agents, and who facilitated their acquisition. The source of the SIM cards remains a mystery at this point.

Investigators believe that the use of Indian SIMs was a deliberate strategy by the Pakistani agents to avoid raising suspicion. By communicating through local numbers, they aimed to mislead both Ravi Verma and Indian security agencies into thinking the conversations were domestic and harmless.

The female agents reportedly posed as Indian citizens and gained Verma's trust. Over time, they allegedly coaxed him into sharing sensitive defence-related information, including classified details, photographs, and videos related to warships and submarines.

Sources further revealed that there are strong preliminary indications suggesting that Verma was carefully targeted and trapped using Indian numbers. In light of this, the ATS has intensified its probe into the larger network that may have been involved in facilitating this espionage operation.

Following these findings, the ATS has also issued a public advisory urging citizens to exercise caution while responding to unknown Indian or international numbers. The advisory warns against engaging with suspicious calls or messages and requests people to report any such communication to the nearest police station immediately.