'Honey-trapped', Indian Air Force Sergeant arrested for espionage

New Delhi: The Crime Branch of the Delhi Police have arrested an Indian Air Force Sergeant for leaking sensitive information about defence installations to an agent of the adversary country, the police informed on Thursday.

The accused Devendra Kumar Sharma was posted as administrative assistant at Air Force Record Office in Subroto Park, New Delhi. The officials suspect he was 'Honey Trapped' by some stranger online who later collected some sensitive information from him, the official mentioned.

The officials also suspect the involvement of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in the incident. According to the officials they received a complaint from the Indian Air Force authorities alleging that Sharma had leaked sensitive information about defence installations and Air Force personnel through electronic means to the agent of the adversary country after deceitfully obtaining the said information and documents from the computers and other files.

He had also received money, from the agent of the adversary country, for the leaked information. Later, a case under 'The Official Secrets Act' was registered and an investigation was started. During the investigation, incriminating evidence such as electronic gadgets and documents etc. were seized and the accused was arrested in the case. Investigation of the case is going on to unearth the whole conspiracy, the official added. "He met a girl on Facebook and they became online friends but later the woman frequently called him to collect the information about the IAF. She was also trying to get sensitive information like positions of IAF radars, posting of senior officials and their details," the police said "We have also analysed the bank account details of his wife and found some suspicious transactions. We found the number used by the woman and are trying to trace her," a police officer said.