PANCHKULA: Police have arrested a German national and booked him for spying after he gained access to the Chandimandir military station in an unauthorised manner.

The Western Command headquarters — ringed with barbed wires — is located at the military station and entry without permission is prohibited.

Military personnel detained RJ Michael, 34, on Saturday morning. Michael claimed that he was in India on a tourist visa.

After questioning him, the Western Command officers handed him over to the local police in the evening.

“We have received a complaint from a Dogra unit that the German national had entered the prohibited area,” said inspector Harbhajan Singh, station house officer, Chandimandir.

Sources said Michael had shown his visa papers to the police.

The police added that he was being questioned on why he had entered the cantonment.

The theory that he could be a spy is also being looked into, although, no camera or sketch was found on him.

He has been booked under Section 3 of the Official Secrets Act used for acting against foreign spies. The relevant law says that if any person, for any purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the state approaches, inspects or passes over a military area, he or she shall be prosecuted.