In a series of counter-intelligence operations, security agencies have arrested a retired Indian Air Force (IAF) officer in Assam and four other individuals in Arunachal Pradesh on charges of espionage. The individuals are suspected of sharing sensitive information with Pakistan-based handlers.
Assam Arrest
Kulendra Sharma, a retired IAF Junior Warrant Officer, was apprehended in Tezpur, Assam. Sharma, who retired from the Tezpur Air Force Station in 2002, was working in the electronics department of Tezpur University after retirement. According to police reports, preliminary investigations suggest that Sharma was allegedly communicating with Pakistan-based handlers and sharing sensitive documents and information through social media platforms. Authorities seized electronic devices from Sharma, and a forensic examination is underway. Sonitpur Superintendent of Police Barun Purakayastha confirmed the arrest and stated that Sharma would be produced before a Tezpur court. A case has been registered against Sharma under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Arunachal Pradesh Arrests
Arunachal Pradesh Police have arrested four individuals in connection with the espionage case. The first two arrests were made on December 11, when Nazir Ahmad Malik and Sabir Ahmed Mir, both residents of the Kupwara district in Jammu and Kashmir, were apprehended. On Saturday, December 13, two more arrests were made. The accused have been identified as Hilal Ahmed, 26, from the West Siang district, and Ghulam Mohammad Mir from the Changlang district; both are natives of Jammu and Kashmir.
According to police, the suspects were part of a network that used a Telegram channel to share sensitive information with handlers in Pakistan. The information allegedly included details about Army movements and the locations of defense camps. Nazir Ahmad Malik was arrested on November 22 from a rented house in Ganga village. During interrogation, Malik allegedly confessed to sharing deployment details of the Indian Army and paramilitary forces, as well as information on military installations, with handlers in Pakistan via encrypted Telegram channels. Police claim that Malik also received instructions to place explosives and carry out arson attacks targeting security establishments. Acting on Malik's statements, police arrested Sabir Ahmed Mir from Abotani Colony. Hilal Ahmed, who had moved from Naharlagun to Aalo on November 25, was running a cloth stall at a trade fair. Aalo Police apprehended him based on intelligence inputs from Itanagar Police.
Investigation Details
The arrests were the result of coordinated counter-intelligence operations. Investigators had been tracking Sharma for some time based on intelligence inputs suggesting his involvement in espionage. Data recovered from his devices indicates communication with Pakistan-based handlers. Police said the suspects in Arunachal Pradesh shared details about Army movements, locations of defense camps, and other sensitive security-related information. The cases against the arrested individuals have been registered under multiple sections of the BNS, the Official Secrets Act, and the Arunachal Pradesh Act. Authorities are conducting detailed investigations to identify the wider network, its linkages, and the objectives behind the operation.
