Odisha crime branch to rope in Interpol to track ‘Pak’ woman in DRDO spying case

BHUBANESWAR: The state crime branch has decided to rope in the Interpol to track a suspected Pakistani woman, who had elicited sensitive defence secrets from five former contractual staff of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) at the integrated test range (ITR) in Balasore district.
Basanta Behera, Hemanta Mistri, Tapas Ranjan Nayak, Sheikh Musafir and Sachin Kumar, who were allegedly honey-trapped by the unknown suspected Pakistani woman, were arrested by the Balasore police on September 14 for sharing classified ITR information with the foreign agent.
“According to the established protocol, we will take the help of the Interpol to gather details about the foreign woman, who had contacted the five persons on Facebook and WhatsApp,” additional director general of police (Crime Branch) Sanjeeb Panda said.
Sources said the woman had been in touch with the five arrested persons through a UK SIM, whose number was +447947111773, since February last year. The accused allegedly sent photos and data related to the missile tests, cluster bombs and atomic power systems of the ITR her. One of the accused had allegedly received Rs 38,000 from an account in Dubai. The probe agency said the possibility of more financial transactions between the accused and the agent cannot be ruled out.
Cyber cell experts of the crime branch have been engaged to thoroughly scan the social media handles and phones of the accused and their chats with the agent. The mobile phones and laptops of the accused have been sent to the cyber forensic laboratory here for examination.
Separate teams of the Indian Air Force and the National Investigation Agency have already interrogated the five accused in Odisha. The crime branch said they may seek further police remand of the accused for interrogation.
Sources said the Army intelligence wing in Odisha had in July this year shared the details of the anti-national activities of the five accused with the state police.
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