Pakistani spy agency asked for map of Visakhapatnam submarine base: Sri Lankan spy

Hyderabad: ISI, the Pakistani spy agency had sought maps, photographs, videos and other details of the upcoming Vizag submarine base in Rambili and the existing naval base including the Eastern Naval Headquarters.

The Sri Lankan Tamil Arun Selvarajan, who was working as a spy for ISI in South India in the guise of an event manager, has spilled the beans to the National Investigation Agency, Hyderabad regarding the ISI’s network in the south. Officials are now examining if the information regarding Navy, submarine, NSG hubs, training academies, nuclear power plants were sought by ISI as part of military spying or to carry out September 11 type attacks on the East Coast.

Arun was arrested in the sensational Thameem Ansari espionage case and was produced in the NIA designated court in Poonamalle on Thursday. He was remanded to judicial custody for 15 days.

NIA sources close to the investigation revealed that Sri Lankan Tamil Arun Selvarajan, who was working as a spy for ISI in South India, gave drawings and maps of Madras harbour, port, Kochi naval establishment and Kalpakkam nuclear plant. Details of officers training academy and NSG hub in Chennai were also collected by Arun and passed over to the ISI.

However, NIA says the details of Vizag are yet to be handed over to ISI by Arun. Naval Alternative Operational Base, mostly for sub marines is coming up at Rambili in Vishakaatnam and the INS Charka submarine is stationed in Vizag. A nuclear submarine Arihant is being built in Vizag naval dockyard. It is estimated that around 28 mid-size warships operate from Vizag. NIA Hyderabad has decided to seek police custody of Arun to know what his plans were for Hyderabad as he visited the city too. 

“Arun visited Hyderabad too. We have to now interrogate him on what he did here. The ISI has asked him for naval base and Vizag submarine data. He is yet to hand over this. Vizag, Chennai, Kalpakkam and Kochi are the places he frequented and collected the details,” said a source in NIA.

NIA said Arun Selvarajan was reporting to Ameer Subair Siddique, alias Boss, who was serving as Counsellor (Visa) in the Pakistan High Commission in Colombo in Sri Lanka. After ‘Boss’ was exposed he was moved out of Colombo and Arun was asked to report to his deputy Haji alias Siraj Ali.

NIA revealed that he has been running ICE events an event management company in Chennai as a cover. He had claimed organising several events in Bengaluru Ultra Marathon, EFL Punjab Ka Tadhka and one for singer Yesudas’s classical concert. Police are now verifying call details of his mobile phone 9176062277 and his e mail id arun@icevents.in. Interestingly, investigation revealed that he is the only employee in ICE events run from Nungambakkam and he outsourced the work and is well connected in the party circuit. 

“Tomorrow he was supposed to organise an event in Adayar. ISI’s Siddiqui paid almost Rs 2 crore in the past three years for passing on key information regarding naval, defence and nuclear installation information in South India. 

Two other operatives of the module Sakir Hussain and Thameem were arrested earlier. The case that was initially investigated by Q Branch CID Trichy police station was re- registered and was handed over to NIA Hyderabad. The case was registered under the Official Secrets Act and the Criminal Conspiracy and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.