Air Force sergeant arrested for espionage, police say he was 'honey-trapped'

An Indian Air Force was arrested for allegedly leaking classified and sensitive information about defence installations and personnel to a Pakistan-based "agent", police said on Thursday and claim he was "honey-trapped".

The accused has been identified as 32-year-old Devender Narayan Sharma, who was working as an administrative assistant (GD) at the Indian Air Force (IAF) Record Office at Subroto Park in New Delhi, they said.

During investigation, it was found that Sharma was allegedly "honey-trapped" by a Pakistan-based woman with whom he shared sensitive documents related to personnel, national security and defence, police said.

On May 6, the Delhi Police Crime Branch arrested the sergeant for allegedly leaking the sensitive information through WhatsApp to the "agent of adversary country" after deceitfully obtaining information and documents from computers and other files, according to police.

According to police, Sharma had also received money from the agent for the leaked information.

On the basis of a complaint received by the Indian Air Force, a case under the Official Secrets Act was registered and the sergeant was arrested on May 6 and dismissed from service, they said.

During investigation, incriminating evidence such as electronic gadgets and documents were seized, they said, adding further probe is on in the matter.

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Last year in July, two people, including an army man, were arrested under the Official Secrets Act for allegedly providing classified documents to Pakistan spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

The development had come after a 34-year-old vegetable supplier at the Pokhran Army base camp was held for allegedly getting sensitive documents from an army man for money and providing them to the ISI.