New Delhi: Police in Punjab’s Pathankot district have uncovered a suspected espionage network involving the alleged surveillance of Indian Army and paramilitary movement along the strategic Pathankot Jammu highway corridor.
The main accused, Baljit Singh alias Bittu, a resident of Chakk Dhariwal village, was arrested for allegedly installing a CCTV camera near a bridge along National Highway 44 close to Sujanpur. According to investigators, the camera was used to monitor military and paramilitary movement and transmit live footage electronically to handlers based in Pakistan and abroad.
Senior police officials said Singh admitted during questioning that he had installed the internet based CCTV camera in January after receiving instructions from an unidentified individual operating from Dubai. Investigators also revealed that he allegedly received Rs 40,000 for carrying out the installation.
Police recovered the CCTV camera along with a WiFi router from the accused. Authorities launched the operation after receiving intelligence inputs about suspicious surveillance activity along the Pathankot Jammu stretch of the highway.
A case has been registered against four individuals, including Baljit Singh, Vikramjit Singh alias Vikka, Balwinder Singh alias Vicky and Taranpreet Singh alias Tannu. Officials said the accused were allegedly involved in anti national and criminal activities. Raids are currently underway to trace and arrest the remaining suspects while agencies investigate the wider cross border network and financial links behind the operation.
The latest arrest comes weeks after Punjab Police dismantled two separate espionage modules allegedly backed by Pakistan’s ISI. Those networks reportedly used advanced China made solar powered CCTV cameras with 4G connectivity to monitor sensitive military locations and relay live footage to Pakistan based handlers.
Officials said the cameras were strategically installed near defence establishments because they could operate independently using solar power and mobile networks, avoiding traditional wiring systems.
Investigators are also probing possible links between espionage activities and drug smuggling networks operating through drones from across the border. Authorities believe the surveillance operations may have been part of a larger coordinated effort targeting sensitive defence movements in Punjab.
