Indian Air Force Wing Commander Accused of Leaking Secret War Plans, Delhi Police Chargesheet Says
A senior Indian Air Force (IAF) officer has been accused of passing highly sensitive military information to an agent linked to a Pakistani intelligence agency. The allegation appears in a chargesheet filed by Delhi Police.
The accused officer is a wing commander in the air force. Delhi Police claim he supplied the Pakistani agent with important information including the air force's secret war plans, drone unit capabilities, fighter aircraft deployments, military exercises and the locations of sensitive military installations.
Police said leaking such information could create a serious threat to the country's military preparedness and national security. The accused officer has been in police custody for the past five months in a case filed under the Official Secrets Act.
According to the chargesheet, the wing commander kept regular contact with the Pakistani agent through WhatsApp from January 12 to April 1 this year, and passed secret military documents during that period. He was caught on April 1 during a search while entering his office with a smartphone.
The chargesheet states that the Pakistani agent sent the wing commander a nude photograph and, in exchange, the officer sent one page of the air force's secret war plan. According to the chargesheet, the officer himself proposed that he would supply one page of the war plan document for each nude photograph.
Delhi Police's investigation report lists among the leaked information detailed data on a secret drone unit's manpower, organisational structure and operating methods. It also included information on drone testing, performance, flight endurance and weapon-targeting systems.
The chargesheet says information was also leaked on where those drone units might be deployed if a war-like situation arose. Police said this information is extremely valuable to an adversary because it gives a clear idea of the strategies of the Indian army and air force.
The allegations also include detailed information on fighter aircraft deployment in Leh, Ladakh, and on a military exercise at the Mahajan Field Firing Range in Suratgarh, Rajasthan. Troop deployment strategy for wartime and the locations of sensitive installations were also passed on, the chargesheet says.
Police said the most serious aspect of the case is that the accused officer not only leaked information himself but also assisted in cyber espionage. According to the chargesheet, the Pakistani agent sent him various apps and links containing malware or spyware, and he tricked five officers working under him into installing that spyware on their mobile phones and electronic devices.
The chargesheet also presents records of digital communication between the two. Police said examination of WhatsApp data found a total of 3,008 text messages, 65 reactions, 42 voice calls, 4 video calls and 6 web links exchanged between them.
On the basis of this digital evidence, Delhi Police are conducting further investigation to determine exactly how much sensitive information the accused officer leaked and whether anyone else was involved.
