Punjab Police have arrested a man from Pathankot for allegedly using a CCTV camera to monitor Indian Army and paramilitary movement near the strategic Pathankot-Jammu highway. Officials claimed the surveillance footage was being shared with handlers based in Pakistan, exposing a serious Punjab espionage case.
The accused has been identified as Baljit Singh alias Bittu, a resident of Chakk Dhariwal village in Punjab. According to police, he installed an internet-based CCTV camera at a shop near a bridge on National Highway-44 close to Sujanpur earlier this year.
Senior police officer Daljinder Singh Dhillon said investigators received intelligence inputs regarding suspicious activity along the highway stretch before launching the operation. During questioning, Baljit Singh allegedly admitted that he had installed the camera in January and received instructions from an unidentified person based in Dubai.
Police also claimed the accused was paid Rs 40,000 for carrying out the activity linked to the ongoing Punjab espionage case. Authorities recovered the CCTV camera and a WiFi router from his possession during the raid.
Officials said the live surveillance feed allegedly helped handlers monitor the movement of Indian Army and paramilitary forces in the sensitive border region. The revelations have raised fresh security concerns because Pathankot remains strategically important due to its proximity to the Jammu border.
The Sujanpur police station registered a case against four accused in connection with the Punjab espionage case. Apart from Baljit Singh, the FIR also names Vikramjit Singh alias Vikka, Balwinder Singh alias Vicky and Taranpreet Singh alias Tannu.
Police said the accused were allegedly involved in anti-national and criminal activities. Raids are currently underway to arrest the remaining suspects linked to the suspected Punjab espionage case.
Investigators are now working to identify the larger cross-border network and trace the source of funding behind the operation. Officials confirmed that a detailed report has already been sent to senior authorities for further investigation.
The latest Punjab espionage case has once again highlighted the growing challenges faced by security agencies in border states. Authorities are expected to tighten surveillance measures around sensitive military routes after the incident.
FAQs
Q: What is the Punjab espionage case about?
A: The Punjab espionage case involves a Pathankot resident accused of tracking Indian Army movement through CCTV surveillance and sharing information with Pakistan-based handlers.
Q: Who was arrested in the Punjab espionage case?
A: Punjab Police arrested Baljit Singh alias Bittu from Chakk Dhariwal village in Pathankot district.
Q: How did the accused monitor Army movement?
A: Police said the accused installed a CCTV camera and internet router near National Highway-44 to monitor military movement.
Q: Are more arrests expected in the Punjab espionage case?
A: Yes, Punjab Police said raids are underway to arrest the remaining accused named in the FIR.
