Fake Documents Used to Activate Dormant Account for Money Transfer to Mumbai Dockyard Employee

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has uncovered a bank transaction linking the detained suspect, Kalpesh Baikar, with a Pakistani Intelligence Operative (PIO). Baikar stands accused of divulging critical national security information, including elaborate blueprints of warships, submarines, and the dockyard, to the PIO.

Sources familiar with the matter disclosed that ATS authorities traced a UPI transaction of Rs. 2000 to Kalpesh Baikar's State Bank of India account in Alibaug. The transaction originated from an account belonging to Kripal Singh, a resident of Delhi.

Baikar fell into a honey trap laid by a Pakistan Intelligence Operative (PIO), who identified herself as Sonali Sharma. The ATS found that the Pakistani agent allegedly transferred Rs 2000 to Baikar's bank account on his 29th birthday for him to purchase a gift of his choice. Baikar had even withdrawn the money. He was in constant touch with PIO through WhatsApp and Facebook chat.

The chats revealed that Baikar wanted to celebrate his birthday with Ms Sharma. However, she assured him that they would meet to celebrate the occasion and sent the money to buy a gift of choice. Baikar had even withdrawn the money from the bank. It was surprising for the investigative agency that the bank account used to make the UPI transaction was dormant for a long time. On June 18, 2022, the bank account became active.

Now, the ATS suspects that fake documents and photos were used to create Singh's account active and solely for such purposes. The further scrutiny of the bank account revealed three other accounts that received transfers from Singh's deceptive account. The ATS suspect that more people were honey trapped.

The Navi Mumbai unit of the Anti-Terrorism Squad received confidential information indicating that an Indian suspect had been in communication with a PIO and had disclosed confidential and sensitive information pertaining to an area restricted by the Indian government. The accused had been in contact with a PIO via Facebook and WhatsApp between November 2021 and May 2023.

The accused, employed as a fabricator at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd., began his journey after completing a Fitter course at an ITI college in Alibaug, joining the shipbuilders in May 2014.