PANAJI
Two individuals, including a retired Army Subedar, were arrested over allegations of spying and sharing sensitive national security information with Pakistan, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) confirmed on Thursday.
The accused, 47-year-old Ajaykumar Surendrasingh Singh, a retired Army Subedar residing in Nuvem, Margao, originally from Bihar, and 35-year-old Rashmani Ravindrapal, from Dadra and Nagar Haveli, originally from Uttar Pradesh, have been booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
According to ATS officials, their probe revealed that technical analysis, human sources, and financial intelligence indicated that Pakistan’s intelligence officers were using social media, messaging applications, and fake online profiles to obtain secret and sensitive information from Indian men, women, and security personnel in exchange for financial benefits.”
The investigation found that Ajaykumar was contacted during his posting in Dimapur, Nagaland, in 2022 by a handler using the alias Ankita Sharma.
“The handler sought information on Army units, postings of officers and personnel, and their movements. Ajaykumar shared details of transfers and stationing of units. The handler later sent a Trojan malware file to his phone with instructions to install it, allowing direct access to his device,” the ATS statement said.
Rashmani Ravindrapal was reportedly acting as an intermediary for handlers identified as Abdul Sattar and Khalid.
“She used the fake identity ‘Priya Thakur’ to contact army personnel and collect confidential information. She also opened a bank account to receive and transfer money as directed by the handlers,” officials said.
Evidence recovered from both accused includes WhatsApp calls from international numbers, documents, and financial transactions. Verification of the handlers’ IP addresses traced Ankita Sharma alias Radhika to Multan and Sargodha, Abdul Sattar to Lahore, and Khalid operating via VPNs and Malaysian virtual numbers.
The ATS Police Station has registered an FIR under Sections 61 (conspiracy) and 148 (offences against the state) of the BNS and ordered a detailed investigation into the matter.
