IAF Employee Arrested For Spying, Sharing Sensitive Information To Pakistan Handlers
A civilian employee of an Indian Air Force (IAF) station in Assam has been arrested on charges of spying and sharing sensitive information with Pakistani handlers, Rajasthan Intelligence said on Sunday.
PTI quoted Additional Director General of Police (Intelligence) Prafull Kumar saying that the accused was arrested in a joint operation by Rajasthan Intelligence and Air Force Intelligence.
The investigation into the matter dates to January with the arrest of a suspect from Jaisalmer. During the probe, Sumit Kumar (36) from Uttar Pradesh, posted as a multi-tasking staff (MTS) at the Air Force Station in Chabua, Dibrugarh, was identified as being involved in the matter.
According to PTI, the accused during interrogation revealed that he had been in contact with Pakistani intelligence operatives since 2023 and was allegedly sharing confidential information in exchange for money.
Sumit Kumar has been arrested for allegedly collecting and passing on sensitive details related to Air Force installations, including locations of fighter aircraft, missile systems and personnel-related information, through social media platforms.
Officials said that Kumar was brought to Jaipur for further questioning at a central interrogation facility. He has been interrogated by multiple agencies.
Police added that he has been booked under the Official Secrets Act, 1923 and relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and further investigation is underway to uncover the wider espionage network.
This comes almost a month after a special security team arrested a man in Jaisalmer’s Nehdan village. The suspect was identified as Jhabararam Meghwal, who was running an e-Mitra service centre in the area. Officials said he had been operating the centre for around four years.
Intelligence sources said the suspect had access to information related to various government schemes and documents because of his work. They suspect he came in contact with the Pakistani handler through social media platforms.
