A serving IAF Wing Commander was arrested over an alleged defence data leak
Police allege he was honey-trapped through social media by a woman
Delhi Police filed a chargesheet under the Official Secrets Act
A 44-year-old serving Indian Air Force Wing Commander was arrested in May for allegedly sharing sensitive defence information and classified documents with a Pakistani intelligence operative after being honey-trapped by a woman on social media, the Delhi Police said.
The officer, whose identity has not been disclosed, was arrested on May 30 following a complaint from the Indian Air Force. Delhi Police filed a chargesheet in the case before a court on July 30, nearly two months after his arrest. The matter is sub judice.
The officer has been booked under relevant provisions of the Official Secrets Act. After questioning by the Delhi Police Special Cell and central intelligence agencies, he was sent to judicial custody and is currently lodged in Tihar jail, Hindustan Times reported.
Honey Trap
According to police officials, the officer was allegedly befriended by a woman on a social media platform earlier this year while he was reportedly facing personal difficulties.
As per the report, the two exchanged messages and spoke through a secure communication application. After allegedly gaining his trust, the woman is accused of persuading him to share confidential documents and sensitive information relating to India's defence systems through photographs and videos.
Police also alleged that the woman asked him to install an application on a colleague's mobile phone. Investigators suspect the application may have functioned as spyware or remote-access malware capable of extracting data and tracking the device's location.
Investigation
The alleged espionage came to light after the IAF's intelligence wing detected the officer's activities through electronic surveillance and shared evidence with the Delhi Police Special Cell, according to Hindustan Times.
The officer was subsequently handed over to the police for legal action. The Delhi Police said its investigation had been completed and the chargesheet was filed on July 30.
The case comes against the backdrop of continuing investigations into alleged espionage and the sharing of sensitive defence information with Pakistan-linked operatives. Outlook India had earlier reported the arrest of an IAF Wing Commander under the Official Secrets Act in connection with allegations of leaking sensitive information.
The latest case highlights the use of social media and digital communication to establish contact with serving defence personnel, with investigators examining how the alleged access to sensitive information was obtained and transmitted.
