New Delhi: “BrahMos was also your invention, babe. The dangerous one,” read the text.
“I have initial design report, some 184 A4 pages, on all BrahMos versions,” replied Pradeep Kurulkar, then Director of DRDO’s Research and Development Establishment (Engineers), in a WhatsApp conversation with a woman identifying herself as Zara Dasgupta.
In another exchange, she asked him where India’s Agni-6 missile project had reached and whether he was working on it. “Still some time for it,” Kurulkar replied.
Over the next several months, the conversations moved from BrahMos and Agni-6 to Rafale fighter jets, Meteor missile, UCAVs (Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles), drone projects and BrahMos exports to the Philippines. According to Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Kurulkar shared information about some of India’s most strategic military programmes with a woman who investigators suspect was a Pakistani intelligence operative.
These conversations now form the backbone of one of India’s most high-profile espionage prosecutions.
Kurulkar was arrested in 2023 under the Official Secrets Act. Three years later, in June 2026, a Pune court framed charges against him.
For years, Pakistan’s ISI has used online ‘honeytraps’ to gather information on India’s military and strategic establishments. The modus operandi is familiar: Fake social media profiles of women, carefully cultivated conversations and, eventually, requests for sensitive, even classified information; sometimes the requests are for photographs or videos.
For instance, Indian Air Force Sergeant Devender Sharma was arrested in 2022 for allegedly leaking sensitive information on defence installations. In 2025, YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra was arrested for allegedly sharing sensitive information while remaining in continuous contact with a Pakistani citizen.
Kurulkar’s case, however, stood apart. At the time, he headed one of DRDO’s key establishments and had access to sensitive defence, missile and military information, including projects relating to BrahMos and Agni-6. As the case moves towards trial, ThePrint has pieced together the investigation through ATS records, forensic reports, court documents and the chargesheet to reconstruct an eight-month espionage operation.
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The text from a +44 number
It was Friday, 10 June 2022, when Kurulkar received a message on his personal smartphone while inside the high-security DRDO complex in Pune. The message came from an unfamiliar international number carrying a British country code: +44. The profile belonged to Zara Dasgupta, who claimed to be a young software engineer living in London.
The conversations began casually. They soon turned flirtatious, and eventually moved to discussions about India’s missile programmes like BrahMos, and military systems.
According to ATS sources, Kurulkar, a Pune resident, was attracted to the woman and began boasting about his work in what investigators believe was an attempt to impress her.
An ATS official familiar with the case told ThePrint that the woman never revealed her true identity during chats, voice or video calls. According to the official, Kurulkar later told investigators that he was interested in a long-term relationship with her. She allegedly sent him explicit photographs without revealing her face in exchange for sensitive information.
The exact duration of their daily conversations remains unclear, but investigators say the chats often continued late into the night. The ATS found a substantial volume of messages.
“He shared information in the hope that they might meet soon. He was not blackmailed and willingly shared the information,” the official said.
Another ATS official told ThePrint that Kurulkar was married and has a son in Germany. His wife is a dental surgeon, and the investigation has so far revealed no evidence of any tension between the couple.
‘Romance’ blossomed amid talk of missiles
At the time, Kurulkar was 59. He had studied electrical engineering at COEP Technological University and was among the select group of scientists with access to highly sensitive defence, missile and military information.
According to the Maharashtra ATS chargesheet, what appeared to be a random message was actually the beginning of a calculated cyber espionage operation. The person behind the screen knew who Kurulkar was and what he did. What began with a simple “hello” led to romantic conversations. In between those conversations, investigators allege, crucial information relating to missile programmes like BrahMos was shared.
For the next eight months, chatting became a daily ritual. The two exchanged messages, voice notes and video calls almost continuously.
DRDO director Kurulkar grew so close to the profile that he added it to a personal WhatsApp broadcast group called “Happy Morning”, according to the chargesheet.
“These chats reveal that accused Pradeep Kurulkar shared his personal and official day-to-day work schedule, meetings and locations with Pakistani intelligence agent Zara,” the chargesheet states.
The DRDO director also discussed his tasks, including monitoring peripheries, thermal drones and night patrolling. According to investigators, he revealed the names of colleagues as well to the Pakistani agent. The ATS investigation alleges that the names of scientists Bansode and Ganguly, both working at R&DE (E), were shared with what investigators describe as “an agent of the enemy nation”.
The conversations with the Pakistani agent continued uninterrupted until 24 February 2023, when officials within DRDO began suspecting him.
Missile blueprints on WhatsApp
According to the ATS chargesheet, Kurulkar bypassed strict security protocols by using his personal, unencrypted mobile phone to discuss restricted defence programmes with a Pakistani agent.
Investigators allege that, over months of WhatsApp conversations, he shared information on some of India’s most strategic military assets, including the Agni-6 launcher, the BrahMos cruise missile, drone and missile projects, and other defence systems.
One of the conversations reproduced in the chargesheet begins with the Pakistani agent writing:
Zara: “BrahMos was also your invention babe. The dangerous one.”
Kurulkar: “I have initial design report, some 184 A4 pages, on all BrahMos versions.”
In another exchange, Zara referred to reports she read about Meteor, describing it as one of the world’s most dangerous missiles. Meteor is a beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile.
“Itna (so) expensive system… are we capable? IAF displayed Rafale or French na? Bcz I think Rafale France ka hai na babe?” she wrote.
Kurulkar replied, “But what is displayed here belongs to Indian Air Force.”
In another conversation, Kurulkar revealed that the Philippines was placing additional orders for the BrahMos missile system.
Zara then asked whether he had seen the Rafale fighter jet.
“Yes, saw its aerial show,” Kurulkar replied.
She followed it up with another question: “Have you seen Meteor?”
In yet another exchange, Zara asked Kurulkar where the Agni-6 programme had reached and whether he was working on it.
“Uska test bhi hona hoga (Even that has to be tested). And you have to do all the work,” she wrote.
“Still some time for it,” Kurulkar replied.
ABHYAS, UCAV & defence projects
The conversations were not limited to BrahMos and Agni-6 missiles.
On 30 June 2022, Zara shared an X link carrying a video of DRDO’s ABHYAS High-Speed Expendable Aerial Target. “Read this on Twitter today. Amazing technology by DRDO. Is this project completed?” she asked. “The video seems to be simulated… not real. Is it?”
“Almost,” Kurulkar replied. He then shared five podcast and news links.
“Babe, what is this?” the Pakistani agent asked.
“UCAV,” Kurulkar responded, referring to an unmanned combat aerial vehicle.
According to investigators, these conversations formed part of a sustained pattern in which discussions on publicly known defence developments gradually shifted to more sensitive subjects.
The chargesheet also refers to another conversation dated 28 October 2022, when Zara sought information about a defence exhibition.
Kurulkar replied: “Babe, I cannot send a copy of that report on WA or mail. It is highly classified… I will trace and keep it ready. When you are here, I will try and show you.”
The ATS has cited this exchange to argue that Kurulkar was fully aware that the material being discussed was confidential. “Even though the accused was fully aware that the information he was giving was confidential, Pradeep Kurulkar shared many confidential matters through WhatsApp,” the chargesheet states.
APK files, malware and the digital trail
According to the ATS chargesheet, alleged Pakistani intelligence operative Zara Dasgupta persuaded Kurulkar to download two APK (file format used by the Android operating system to distribute and install mobile apps) files—Bingechat.net and cloudchat.net.in—on the pretext of sending him a video clip.
“Even though he knew in which field he works, he downloaded the APK files,” the ATS states. The chargesheet further cites a report by the Director of the Forensic Science Laboratory, Ganeshkhind, Pune, which found that the Bingechat.net and cloudchat.net files, along with malware, had been downloaded onto Kurulkar’s mobile phone.
Police analysis of the phone—including images, documents, videos, audio files, instant messages, apps, call logs and contacts—found that Zara had sent him links to install the applications using email IDs including 26sweetpanda@gmail.com, dreamgirl56@gmail.com and Common158@gmail.com, along with their passwords.
Investigators later found a Pakistani mobile number in the Gmail recovery records. Analysis of the associated Instagram accounts also revealed an IP address tracing back to Pakistan.
The ATS says the conversations became increasingly sensitive over time.
How the net closed in
Then in February 2023, the conversations came to an abrupt halt.
According to investigators, Indian intelligence agencies detected suspicious cross-border digital traffic linked to the Pune-based defence establishment. As scrutiny within DRDO intensified, Kurulkar sensed something was amiss.
On 23 February 2023, he blocked Zara’s WhatsApp number.
The following day, the investigation formally began. On 24 February 2023, as suspicion around Kurulkar grew within DRDO, officials seized his OnePlus mobile phone, MacBook and the hard disk of his Central Internet Access Gateway-enabled desktop machine. Two days later, his personal phone and SIM cards were also confiscated. By 27 February, all the electronic devices had been sent to DRDO Bhavan in New Delhi for examination.
But investigators faced an immediate challenge.
Before his devices were seized, Kurulkar had deleted WhatsApp chats, voice notes and media files. Forensic experts were tasked with recovering deleted conversations and analysing the remaining data. The analysis report was submitted to DRDO’s internal standing committee. Acting on the recommendations of the committee, Kurulkar was removed as Director of R&DE (E) and posted to the office of the Director General, Armament and Combat Engineering (ACE), Pune. On 19 April 2023, all the seized electronic devices were handed over to the Maharashtra ATS. Kurulkar was suspended on 24 May.
During the investigation, the ATS also found that Pakistani agent Zara had asked Kurulkar to arrange a SIM card to activate WhatsApp for what she described as “study purposes”.
According to the chargesheet, she had consistently portrayed herself as a London-based software engineer through fake Facebook and Instagram profiles.
Soon after Kurulkar blocked her, he received a WhatsApp message from an unknown Indian mobile number asking: “Why you blocked my number?”
ATS investigators traced the message to Islamabad.
From Nagpur to Islamabad
The investigation then uncovered an unusual chain linking an Indian SIM card to the alleged Pakistan intelligence operative. Police found that the mobile number belonged to Aditya Babaraoji Sontakke, a 23-year-old resident of Lok Kalyan Society in Nagpur.
When questioned by the ATS, Sontakke said his friend Roshan Tantarpale had asked him to purchase a new SIM card. After buying it, he handed it over to Tantarpale.
Tantarpale, in turn, allegedly told investigators that he had passed the SIM card details to his friend Nikhil Murlidhar Shende, a 32-year-old Air Corporal based in Bengaluru.
According to the ATS investigation, the SIM card, along with its one-time password (OTP), was ultimately used by the alleged Pakistani intelligence operative to activate a separate WhatsApp account.
During interrogation, Shende told investigators that he had been in regular contact since 2021 with another woman identifying herself as ‘Juhi Arora’ through Facebook Messenger and Instagram. The ATS claims technical analysis later revealed both WhatsApp accounts (‘Zara Dasgupta’ and ‘Juhi Arora’) originated from the same IP address in Islamabad.
“Hence, we conclude that both WhatsApp numbers were operated by the same agent, who used different names for different persons,” the chargesheet states.
The investigating officer has recorded statements from more than 60 witnesses. The prosecution has submitted around 140 documents and reports, along with laptops, mobile phones and other electronic devices allegedly used in the commission of the offence.
The ATS also said Kurulkar stored presentations and documents relating to Akash launcher, procurement of a VTOL Autonomous Unmanned Test Vehicle, Ground Weapon Technology, Minefield Marking, robotic battery systems and related videos on his personal phone.
What defence, prosecution argued
In the first bail application filed before a Pune court on 7 December 2023, Kurulkar’s lawyer, Rishikesh Guna, argued that the prosecution had failed to establish that the information allegedly shared was classified.
The prosecution, however, argued that confidential information relating to missiles, Rustom, SAM, the Indian Drone Project, quadcopters, UCAVs, duty charts, BrahMos, Agni-6, Meteor, Rafale and BrahMos exports to the Philippines was communicated to the Pakistan intelligence operative through WhatsApp chats, video calls and other communications.
“This is confidential information regarding the security of the country. The accused, by misusing his official capacity, communicated all the above information,” the prosecution argued.
Kurulkar’s lawyer countered by saying that his client had served in a highly responsible position at DRDO and that the information cited by the prosecution was already available in the public domain. “Whatever confidential information alleged to have been communicated by the accused to the Pakistani agent is already available in the public domain. Therefore, it cannot be said to be confidential information,” Guna submitted.
Opposing the bail plea, Special Public Prosecutor Fargade, appearing for the ATS, argued that Kurulkar was fully aware of the Pakistan link.
“The accused is aware about the IP of Pakistan. He is a scientist well conversant with all the technical gadgets. He has not followed DRDO guidelines. He intentionally provided information. Official information is not on the internet. But that information has been communicated by the accused,” the prosecutor submitted.
The court rejected Kurulkar’s bail application.
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Framing of charges
Nearly three years after his arrest, on 18 June 2026, a Pune court framed charges against Kurulkar under Section 3(1)(c) (penalties for spying), Section 4 (communication with foreign agents), Sections 5(1)(a), 5(1)(c) and 5(1)(d) pertaining to wrongful communication of the Official Secrets Act, 1923.
Immediately after the order, Kurulkar sought a four-week stay on the framing of charges, saying he intended to challenge the order before a higher court. The application was rejected. While framing the charges, Additional Sessions Judge P.Y. Ladekar observed that there was sufficient prima facie material to proceed against the accused.
The court noted that Kurulkar had “access to classified information” and that the establishment where he worked was covered under the scope of the Official Secrets Act.
The order further observed that his communication with the alleged Pakistani operative was supported by transcripts recovered during the investigation, bringing the case within the ambit of Section 4 of the Official Secrets Act, which deals with communication with a person connected to an enemy country.
The court also relied on statements of more than 60 witnesses, nearly 140 documents and reports filed by the prosecution, and the electronic devices seized during the investigation, holding that they prima facie disclosed the commission of the alleged offences.
Kurulkar’s lawyer, Rishikesh Guna, confirmed to ThePrint that charges had been framed.
The court, however, kept open the framing of charges against the “wanted accused intelligence operative of Pakistan Intelligence Agency”, who is absconding.
‘Spy’, ‘traitor’
On Facebook, Kurulkar’s profile picture has remained unchanged since 2015.
It is a black-and-white photograph overlaid with the colours of the Indian tricolour, uploaded when Facebook introduced its digital solidarity feature.
Elsewhere on social media, however, his account tells a different story. Across posts, videos and comment threads, he is repeatedly described as a “spy” and a “traitor”.
Kurulkar, meanwhile, remains lodged in Yerawada Jail awaiting trial.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)