Malpe: Police in Karnataka’s coastal district of Udupi have arrested a fifth suspect in a widening espionage investigation involving the leak of sensitive Indian Navy data to handlers in Pakistan. The accused, identified as 21-year-old Alif Islam, was apprehended on Monday in Munnar, Kerala, following a coordinated intelligence operation that has exposed significant vulnerabilities within the subcontracting chains of India’s strategic shipbuilding facilities.

Alif Islam, a native of Jalpaiguri in West Bengal, was reportedly residing in a rented house in the Marayur village of Kerala’s Idukki district at the time of his arrest. He has been booked under the Official Secrets Act, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for engaging in activities prejudicial to national sovereignty. Udupi Superintendent of Police Hariram Shankar stated that investigators strongly suspect Islam is a Bangladeshi national who may have been operating under a false identity, noting that additional legal provisions may be added once his nationality is formally verified. Produced before a jurisdictional court on Tuesday, Islam was remanded to judicial custody until February 21, 2026.

The investigation centres on the Udupi Cochin Shipyard unit in Malpe, a facility responsible for building tugboats and auxiliary vessels for the Indian Navy. According to Hindustan Times, the spy ring allegedly shared confidential ship identification numbers, movement schedules, and technical specifications with Pakistani contacts via social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook in exchange for illegal financial gains. Authorities believe the espionage continued undetected for nearly 18 months before the shipyard’s CEO filed a formal complaint in late 2025.

Islam is the fifth individual taken into custody in connection with the breach. Previous arrests include Rohit and Santri, both from Uttar Pradesh, who were employees of a private contractor at the Malpe facility, and Hirendra Kumar from Gujarat. Investigators are now analysing seized digital devices and financial records to trace the communication trails and identify possible handlers across the border. The case has triggered an extensive security audit of private subcontractors working in India's defence shipyards as coordination with central intelligence agencies intensifies.