The arrest of Rajeev Sharma, a strategic affairs analyst, and two others under the Officials Secrets Act by the Delhi Police for allegedly passing classified information on Indian troop movement to the Chinese, has raised several questions. An accredited journalist, Sharma worked for a premier news agency as well as two prominent newspapers, and over the years covered varied topics. He had close connections with Indian intelligence agencies, and the supreme irony is that a tip off from one of them, led to his arrest by the police. While it is for the courts to determine whether he is guilty of the extremely serious charges levelled against him, it is evident that if indeed he was passing critical information to another country, he must have had access to certain people in key positions, in the Defence and Home Ministries. Therefore, it is equally important that those individuals should be identified and taken into custody.
Several journalist bodies have condemned his arrest and have accused the police of framing him. However, the allegations are of a grave nature and must be fully probed to reach a proper conclusion. Journalists, in the course of their work, come in contact with all kinds of people. Many of them have connections with the deep state and are regularly supplied information which influences public opinion. It is not uncommon for foreign media organisations, to appoint representatives in various capitals, who are well entrenched and closely connected with intelligence agencies. Select Indian journalists posted abroad occasionally receive inputs on vital matters from intelligence agencies as a matter of routine.
Sharma is believed to have also had an association with a well-known foundation in New Delhi. He used to regularly contribute to the Global Times, the mouth piece of the Chinese government. The police claim that he was receiving money through the hawala route in exchange of information he shared with his “controllers”. His lawyer has been maintaining that he was implicated in the case and therefore is completely innocent.
In the past, there have been instances, such as the Ram Swarup case where the prosecution was not able to substantiate its charges and the suspect went scot free amidst whispers in the corridors of power that he was probably a double agent, some- thing which sounded ridiculous. The most talked about espionage cases in the country include the Coomar Narain case in which more than half a dozen functionaries of the Prime Minister’s Office in January 1985 were found involved in furnishing information to foreign agents at the behest of the influential Defence Colony-based suspect. Then there was the Larkins case in 1983 which led to the arrest of Major General Frank Larkins and his brother, Air Vice Marshal Kenneth Larkins, as also an Army colonel and a defence dealer.
In the latest matter, it is obvious that there would be more arrests. Nevertheless, till the police and the intelligence agencies are able to establish Sharma’s complicity before the judiciary, he would merely remain a suspect.
