The National Investigation Agency (NIA) Friday conducted searches in Gujarat and Maharashtra on the premises of those suspected to have received money from Pakistan to spy on Indian defence establishments.

The searches were conducted in a case registered by the NIA in June last year.

The agency filed a charge sheet in July 2023 against two accused including an absconding Pakistani national. This was followed by two more charge sheets against three others, including a Pakistani national, a statement issued by the NIA said.

NIA investigations have revealed that Pakistani nationals had collaborated with the arrested accused in the espionage racket, in which sensitive/vital information pertaining to the Indian Navy was being leaked as part of a conspiracy to unleash terrorist violence in India, it said.

"Cracking down on suspects involved in the 2021 Visakhapatnam Pakistani ISI espionage case relating to leakage of classified defence information, the NIA on Friday conducted extensive searches at three locations in Gujarat and Maharashtra," the statement said.

The residences of the suspects, believed to have received money from Pakistan to spy on Indian defence establishments, were thoroughly searched by the NIA teams at three locations. Several incriminating materials, including mobile phones and documents, were seized during the searches.

The NIA is examining the seized materials to identify more linkages in the case, originally filed by the Counter Intelligence Cell, Andhra Pradesh, on January 12, 2021, under various sections of Indian Penal Code, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Official Secrets Act, 1923.

NIA also conducted a series of searches in the Naxal-infested regions of Chhattisgarh in connection with a CPI (Maoist) arrest and arms recovery case. "Half a dozen places in the troubled region were extensively searched, and several mobile phones, a printer, and cash amounting to Rs 39,100 were seized along with incriminating documents," a statement issued by the NIA said.

The six premises subjected to searches are located in the remote villages of Mujalgondi, Kalmuchche, Amabeda and Jiwalamari in Kanker district, it said.

The NIA is continuing with its investigation in the case, registered initially by the local police on February 5 this year and taken over by NIA on February 22.  Early investigations led to the arrest of two persons in the case, the probe agency said.