New Delhi: As the Delhi Police’s Special Cell began monitoring an international phone number associated with a Pakistani handler, the investigators learnt that it was regularly in touch with an Indian number that belonged to a wing commander of the Indian Air Force (IAF).
“We had been tracking the international number since January, when we began getting inputs that there were regular conversations between the number and an Indian number,” said a senior Delhi Police officer aware of the matter.On continued tracking the police found “intimate conversations” between the international number and the IAF wing commander.
“There was significant conversation between the international number and the officer where they were sharing intimate information. After a point the international number posing as a woman began ‘blackmailing’ him,” said the officer.
The IAF wing commander, another police officer said, was recorded while on video calls which was later used to blackmail him.
As per the investigation, the wing commander was coerced into sharing photographs of his base camp, confidential documents related to ongoing research and details of troop movements.
“The officer was then asked to install a software in his senior colleague’s phone which was a data stealing software to gain control on the device,” the officer said.
The software, according to the Delhi Police sources, was a spyware with remote access malware designed to steal data, track locations and record phone communications over texts and calls.
The Delhi Police informed the IAF which began monitoring the movements of the wing commander.
“The wing commander was subsequently arrested by the CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) on 30 May and handed over to Delhi Police’s Special Cell,” the police officer said.
He has been booked under the Official Secrets Act for sharing classified information and confidential documents related to national defence. Punishments can go up to 14 years of imprisonment, a fine, or both.
“The international number was associated with a Pakistani handler who honey trapped the IAF wing commander. Initial investigation had revealed that the officer was going through a personal crisis which made him vulnerable to the trap,” the officer said.
Sources in the defence and security establishment said the wing commander, who was deployed at one of the field units, was under surveillance for the past several months by the Air Intelligence Unit.
“He was under active surveillance and was handed over to the suitable law enforcement agencies” an IAF spokesperson said.
Following his arrest, the accused was sent to Tihar Jail for judicial custody. Post investigation, a charge sheet has been submitted before the competent court on 30 July matter is sub-judice, the Delhi Police said.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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