CBI Arrests Freelance Journalist, Ex-Navy Commander In Espionage Case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a freelance journalist Vivek Raghuvanshi and a former Navy commander Ashish Pathak for allegedly collecting sensitive information related to defence matters illegally and passing them on to foreign intelligence agencies, officials said on Wednesday.

Following an FIR against Vivek Raghuvanshi, CBI on Tuesday conducted searches on premises linked to the freelance journalist, listed as India correspondent of a US-based portal on defence and strategic affairs on its website, and people close to him at 12 places in Jaipur and National Capital Region (NCR), they said.

Defence Freelance Journalist Vivek Raghuvanshi’s premises being searched by CBI in a case of Official Secrets Act.

CBI sources say, Raghuvanshi shared confidential and sensitive information of DRDO and Indian Army with foreign intelligence agencies for monetary benefits.
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The agency has booked Raghuvanshi and former Navy commander Ashish Pathak under Section 3 (spying) of the Official Secrets Act and with Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code. Several sensitive documents were recovered during the searches and sent for legal scrutiny, officials added.

“On May 9, CBI lodged an FIR against Vivek Raghuvanshi on the allegations that he was involved in the illegal collection of sensitive information including the minute details of the DRDO defence projects and their progress, sensitive details about the future procurement of Indian armed forces which reveal the strategic preparedness of country’s classified communications/information relating to national security, details of the strategic and diplomatic talks of India with our friendly countries. After collecting them, he was sharing such classified information with the intelligence agencies of foreign countries,” a CBI spokesperson had said Tuesday, according to a report by Indian Express.

According to information available on “Defense News” — an American website that also covers defence, politics, business and technology, Raghuvanshi was their India Correspondent.

He has also written for the website “India Narrative” and the latest article was titled – “India thinks big on military exports to Africa, Tejas jets, Akash missiles, combat helicopters on radar”.

(With inputs from PTI)