Gujarat ATS Arrests Health Worker in Kutch for Alleged Espionage Linked to Pakistani Intelligence
In a significant development, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Saturday apprehended a 28-year-old contractual health worker from the border district of Kutch on charges of espionage for Pakistan.
The accused, Sahdevsinh Deepubha Gohil, was reportedly involved in transmitting sensitive information related to India’s security infrastructure. This is the third arrest linked to alleged spying activities from Gujarat in the last eight months.
Gohil was employed as a multipurpose health worker (MPH) at the Mata-na-Madh Primary Health Centre.
According to ATS officials, he is accused of sharing classified photographs and videos concerning key installations of the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Indian Navy with a contact known only as “Aditi Bharadwaj,” who has been identified as an agent of Pakistani intelligence.
The ATS stated during a press briefing that Gohil established contact with Bharadwaj on WhatsApp around mid-2023.
She allegedly introduced herself as an operative working for Pakistan’s intelligence agencies and directed Gohil to capture and share images of BSF and Navy facilities in the strategically sensitive Kutch region.
These facilities included both newly constructed and under-construction sites.
Investigators revealed that by early 2025, Gohil procured a new SIM card using his Aadhaar credentials and activated a WhatsApp account on a separate device, which he then handed over to Bharadwaj.
Through this channel, he continued to relay confidential information. ATS officials also disclosed that Gohil received a total of ₹40,000 in cash via an intermediary as payment for his services.
Following a multi-agency surveillance operation involving technical tracking and human intelligence, Gohil was detained on May 1 and formally arrested after the investigation confirmed his involvement.
He now faces charges under Sections 61 (criminal conspiracy) and 148 (waging or abetting war against the government) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
However, authorities are still working to determine the full scope of the breach, as a significant amount of potentially critical data was found to have been deleted from Gohil’s mobile phone.
The device has been forwarded to the Forensic Science Laboratory for data recovery and further analysis.
An ATS official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, pointed to a disturbing pattern in recent espionage cases. Pakistani intelligence operatives have increasingly used social media platforms while posing as women to target vulnerable Indian citizens.
These operatives reportedly exploit personal weaknesses or offer monetary rewards to lure individuals into spying.
“They maintain detailed databases and cast a wide net, reaching out to potential targets,” said the official. “Unfortunately, some individuals succumb to these traps.
In past incidents, such as the Porbandar case, the accused were fully aware they were passing sensitive national security information to hostile agents.”
The ATS continues its investigation, with support from central agencies, to uncover additional links and assess the potential damage to national security.
