LUCKNOW: A jawan of an Indian Army Signals regiment has been arrested by military police at the Army cantonment in Meerut on charges of sharing vital information with Pakistani intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The jawan, posted as a signals man, was detained by Army authorities three days ago for questioning before being formally arrested.
Local sources said the possibility of the soldier being a Pakistani spy sent across the border by the higher authorities in the neighbouring country could not be ruled out. He is suspected to have shared classified and sensitive information about the Western Command base and its corps and divisions in and around Meerut cantonment with Pakistani intelligence operatives.
The Army authorities have not revealed the name of the jawan, who is from Uttarakhand and has allegedly been spying for Pakistan for 10 months. As per the sources, the Army’s intelligence unit became suspicious about his activities when they found he was in telephonic contact with people in Pakistan. An internal military investigation was initiated against the jawan after he shared information with his Pakistani handlers around three months ago. Since then his activities were being watched by the Army intelligence unit.
Sources in Meerut confirmed that during interrogation the man had disclosed many names and related information. The suspect used to share information with his Pakistani contacts with end-to-end encryption, mostly through messaging application WhatsApp.
The jawan has been associated with the Indian Army for the last 10 years and posted in Meerut for the last two years.The Army’s intelligence unit alerted higher defence authorities after getting incriminating clues about his engagement with people across the border.
As per a senior Army official, investigations are on in different wings of Signals and a few other jawans at different places are also being questioned by the military police on the basis of clues given by the suspect.
Contacts with Pak raised suspicion
■ Accused suspected to have shared classified information about Western Command formations with Pakistani intelligence operatives
■ Army’s intelligence unit became suspicious about his activities when they found he was in telephonic contact with people in Pakistan.