Overview
- Malpe police arrested 34-year-old Hirendra Kumar on December 20 as the third suspect in the Udupi case involving leaked Indian Navy information.
- Two earlier suspects, Rohit, 29, and Santri, 37, subcontractor employees at Shusshma/Shushma Marine tied to the Cochin Shipyard’s Malpe unit, were arrested on November 21.
- Investigators allege the pair shared lists of Navy ships, identification numbers, repair schedules, and sensitive infrastructure details in exchange for money from Pakistan-based handlers.
- All three are in judicial custody under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act, with a multi-agency probe continuing and further arrests possible.
- The case began after the Cochin Shipyard CEO reported a November security breach, and police say the leakage may have persisted for about one and a half years.