Kerala man posing as PMO official held for seeking details of INS Vikrant

The Kerala Police on Monday arrested a man seeking sensitive information regarding the deployment of the indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant in a phone call to the Kochi naval base impersonating an official from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

The accused, identified as Mujeeb Rahman, a resident of Elathur in the Kozhikode district, was taken into custody by the Kochi Harbour Police from Kozhikode. According to Kochi City Police Commissioner Putta Vimaladitya, Mujeeb made the call on the night of May 9 to the naval headquarters’ landline, falsely identifying himself as “Raghavan” from the PMO. He sought information about the current location of INS Vikrant.

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The call was made using a SIM card registered to Mujeeb and it was during the timeline of Operation Sindoor.

Naval authorities, suspecting the intent behind the caller, refused to divulge any information and promptly alerted the police. The Harbour Police Station registered an FIR, and an investigation was immediately launched.

After initial media reports surfaced about the impersonation attempt, the accused switched off his phone. However, investigators were able to trace the number and apprehend Mujeeb on Monday. He was arrested from Kozhikode before being brought to Kochi for questioning by senior officers.

According to police sources, the accused claimed to be undergoing psychiatric treatment, though this remains to be verified. The Kochi City Police Commissioner said a medical evaluation will be conducted to determine Mujeeb’s mental state

The police are examining the accused’s mobile phone, email, and social media accounts to determine if he acted independently or was influenced by any external entities. Mujeeb has been booked on charges of impersonation under Section 319(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) . Provisions under the Official Secrets Act have also been invoked, given the attempt to access classified defence information.