Defence Journalist Working For US-Based Publication Arrested For Sharing Sensitive DRDO Information With Foreign Intelligence Agencies

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a 'freelance defence journalist', Vivek Raghuvanshi on Tuesday (16 May), on the charges of espionage and sharing classified information related to projects of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to foreign intelligence agencies.

According to report by the Indian Express, the CBI has raided twelve locations in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan in connection with the case and has detained Vivek's associates', as well.

This is the second instance of espionage case coming just weeks after the arrest of a top DRDO-scientist Pradeep Kurulkar by Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) after he was honey-trapped by a Pakistan based intelligence operative.

Kurulkar, according to a report by the Indian Express, has worked on various critical projects including 'Mission Shakti', the Anti-satellite Missile test, but his most significant contribution was in the Akash Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) system, when he led the project and the team.

According to a US-owned news website Defense News, Vivek Raghuvanshi is their India correspondent and covers politics, business and technology.

The first FIR was filed by the Delhi Police, and subsequently CBI also filed a fresh FIR on 9 May, following which raids were conducted on various locations to gather evidence, after which Vivek was arrested along with his associate, on Tuesday (16 May).

A CBI spokesperson said, “On May 9, CBI lodged an FIR against Vivek Raghuvanshi on the allegations that he was involved in the illegal collection of sensitive information including the minute details of the DRDO defence projects and their progress, sensitive details about the future procurement of Indian armed forces which reveal the strategic preparedness of country’s classified communications/information relating to national security, details of the strategic and diplomatic talks of India with our friendly countries".

"After collecting them, he was sharing such classified information with the intelligence agencies of foreign countries,” the spokesperson added.

"During the investigation, certain documents containing sensitive information were recovered from the possession of the accused and a case under Section 3 of the Official Secrets Act (OSA) and Section 120-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered against him," the spokesperson further said.

Four years ago (on September 2019), the Delhi Police has arrested another freelance journalist Rajeev Sharma for allegedly leaking information to Chinese intelligence services, as well.

He was later arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for money-laundering.