Ex-IAF officer held for spying; allegedly shared defence secrets with Pak, four others arrested

GUWAHATI: A retired inferior warrant serviceman of the IAF has been arrested successful Assam’s Tezpur connected charges of spying for Pakistan, constabulary said connected Saturday. Kulendra Sharma has been booked nether BNS for waging warfare against India, transgression conspiracy, endangering the country’s sovereignty, unity and integrity, and destroying evidence.Sonitpur territory DSP (border) Haricharan Bhumij said Sharma’s phones and laptops were seized. “From our sources and the gadgets, we discovered helium shared delicate defence-related documents and accusation with the Pakistani quality agency. Identity of those with whom helium shared accusation is being verified,” helium said.Four persons were besides arrested successful Arunachal Pradesh connected espionage charges successful the authorities implicit the past fewer weeks.

Three of them are from Kupwara territory successful Kashmir, portion the individuality of the 4th has not yet been disclosed by police.DSP Bhumij said Sharma’s physics devices revealed that helium shared important accusation related to nationalist information “and received instructions from the different broadside connected WhatsApp”. The seized mobiles and laptops volition beryllium sent to the forensic laboratory for further analysis. Police, aft receiving confidential accusation astir Sharma’s Pakistani connections, picked him up from his location successful Patiachuburi locality of Tezpur.

Sharma retired from IAF successful 2002, and worked arsenic a method adjunct successful the section of electronics and connection engineering astatine Tezpur University earlier leaving his occupation 3 years ago.Tezpur is the office of the Army’s IV Corps and has immense parts of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, including the Tawang frontier, nether its operational jurisdiction. At Salonibari, conscionable connected the outskirts of Tezpur, IAF’s Sukhoi basal is located.In Arunachal, Hilal Ahm-ed (26), a J&K resident, was apprehended from Aalo successful West Siang district, portion an unidentified idiosyncratic was arrested astatine Miao successful Changlang. Hilal, who arrived successful Aalo from Papum Pare territory connected Nov 25 to merchantability apparel astatine a commercialized fair, was sending delicate accusation to his handlers, constabulary said. On Nov 22, Itanagar constabulary arrested Nazir Ahmad Malik and Sabir Ahmed Mir, besides from J&K and successful interaction with Pakistani handlers.