In a major violation of national security, Mahendra Prasad, a contractual manager at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Guest House alongside the Chandan Field Firing Range in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, was apprehended on charges of espionage on Tuesday. He was arrested by Rajasthan’s CID Intelligence for allegedly spying on behalf of Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), by sending confidential and strategic details of India to the other side.
Uttarakhand’s resident
Mahendra Prasad, a 32-year-old Palyun resident of Uttarakhand’s Almora district, was discovered to have been exchanging messages with ISI handlers on social media. His work at the DRDO Guest House provided him with proximity to critical defence activities since the area is proximate to the trials of missiles and weapons at the nearby Chandan Field Firing Range, where DRDO researchers and Indian Army officers regularly move in and out.
Part of heightened security monitoring in preparation for Rajasthan’s state-level Independence Day celebrations, the CID tracked potential anti-national activities and picked up on Prasad’s suspicious interactions with Pakistani intelligence. It emerged that he was sharing sensitive information on the movement and activities of DRDO staff and Indian Army officers with handlers in Pakistan.
Case filed, interrogation underway
Prasad was jointly interrogated by various intelligence agencies at the Central Interrogation Centre in Jaipur. Technical forensic analysis of his mobile phone supported the claims by establishing the transmission of sensitive information about DRDO activities and military movements to Pakistani handlers.
Accordingly, a case under the Official Secrets Act of 1923 was filed against him on August 12 and he was formally arrested on espionage charges. Prasad will be produced in court for remand and further questioning.
ISI’s usual MO
This episode highlights the continuous threat posed by foreign intelligence agencies, including the ISI, trying to penetrate India’s crucial defence infrastructure. The place where Prasad worked is strategically sensitive as it feeds the Indian defence environment, primarily in testing and developing hi-tech weaponry. The authorities have reaffirmed their alertness in the wake of such spying acts for the protection of national security.
Background check’s failure?
The arrest is a resounding message of India’s seriousness in countering threats within its defence circles and preventing the leakage of sensitive information to hostile foreign powers. It also emphasises the requirement for strict background checks and surveillance of individuals who are assigned to access sensitive defence establishments.
The case is being kept under active CID Intelligence and other security agencies’ investigation to ensure that any additional espionage networks are discovered and that no further compromising information has been leaked to enemy hands. It is important to be vigilant to ensure the defence technology and operations of India remain as secure and undiluted as possible.
