2 arrested in separate espionage cases in Punjab, Haryana

New Delhi, Jan 6: Authorities in Punjab and Haryana have arrested two individuals within 24 hours in separate cases of alleged espionage involving the sharing of sensitive defence-related information with Pakistan-linked handlers, reports The Times of India. In Punjab, a 15-year-old boy from Pathankot was taken into custody for allegedly passing national security-related information to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), terror outfits and Pakistani military officers, Punjab Police said. The juvenile, identified as Sanjeev Kumar, was allegedly lured by Pakistani handlers through social media. Pathankot SSP Daljinder Singh Dhillon said the boy was emotionally vulnerable after suspecting that his father had been murdered, a claim later found to be untrue. “He fell into the trap of Pakistani agencies through social media and sent videos of several sensitive locations,” the SSP said, adding that the teenager had been in contact with Pakistan-based terror-linked gangsters for nearly a year. Police are probing the extent of information shared and his contacts, the Times of India reported.

In a separate case in Haryana, police in Ambala arrested a contractor for allegedly spying on an Air Force station. DSP Crime Virendra Kumar said the accused, identified as Sunil alias Sunny, had been engaged in repair work at the Air Force facility since 2020. “The accused was suspected of sharing details related to the Air Force area. His mobile phone has been seized and several suspicious elements have emerged,” the DSP said. Investigators found that Sunil was allegedly in contact with a woman who sought information, which he passed on. The investigation is ongoing to ascertain the full scope of the breach, the TOI reported.