The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested an accused ( a Journalist) and his Associate (Ex-Navy Commander) in an on-going investigation of a case registered under Section 3 of Official Secret Act r/w Section 120-B of Indian Penal Code.
CBI registered the said case on 09.12.2022 against an accused on the allegations that accused was involved in the illegal collection of sensitive information including the minute details of the DRDO defence projects & 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 & diplomatic talks of India with our friendly countries and sharing such classified information with intelligence agencies of foreign countries.
Searches were conducted around at 15 locations, in NCR & at Jaipur. CBI has seized 48 electronic devices including laptops, tablets, mobile phones hard disks & pen drive etc. belonging to the FIR named accused and others associated with the said accused, during searches. Besides, a number of incriminating documents relating to Indian defence establishments, have also been seized. The data stored in cloud based accounts / emails / social media accounts belonging to the accused / others have also been recovered by digital forensic experts of CBI. It was also alleged that the accused and his associate (Ex-Navy Commander, presently working with a private firm), were in possession of classified secret document related to Indian defence establishments.
The scrutiny of devices recovered so far from the possession of accused also revealed that the accused was allegedly collecting confidential information related to India’s Defence procurement from different sources and was in contact with several foreign Entities / Agents / Persons, and that he had entered into contracts / agreements with several foreign entities for sharing of confidential information. It was also alleged that the accused and his family members had received substantial amount from foreign sources.
Both the arrested accused will be produced today before the Competent Court at Delhi.