Ex-Army Captain Arrested For Sharing Defence Information With Partner

A 52-year-old retired Indian Army captain, identified as Babu, has been arrested in Tamil Nadu's Vellore region for allegedly sharing sensitive information related to the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) with a woman he was in a relationship with, police said.

Investigators suspect that the woman allegedly used the relationship to gather sensitive information about India's security forces. The police are probing whether the information was passed on to anyone else and are yet to establish the woman's identity and nationality.

A senior police officer told NDTV, "Such sensitive information can't be shared. The accused had earlier worked in DRDO."

Asked whether the woman was from Pakistan, the officer said the police had not established this yet. "We are not sure at the moment. We would write to WhatsApp in terms of the IP details and only then we can establish," the officer said.

The arrest was made following an intelligence tip-off involving local intelligence inputs and other agencies. The accused was reportedly traced to a hideout near Arani in Tiruvannamalai district, close to Vellore.

According to information available, Babu had served in the Indian Army as a captain in its artillery regiment before retiring in 1994. His military background and subsequent association with DRDO are now under scrutiny as investigators examine the nature of the information he allegedly shared.

The Tamil Nadu police arrested Babu based on intelligence inputs about the alleged disclosure of military secrets. He has since been handed over to central investigative authorities for further questioning and investigation.

Investigators are expected to examine his communications and digital records to establish the extent of the alleged information-sharing, the identity of the woman involved and whether there were links to any foreign intelligence network.