One civilian who was present at the Indian Air Force Chabua Air Force Station in Assam has been arrested on fact of espionage on the grounds of the civilian sharing sensitive information with Pakistani handlers. On Sunday, the accused, who was a Thai citizen, was arrested in a combined operation of the Rajasthan Intelligence and Air Force Intelligence units in which the accused was detained as Sumit Kumar (36).
The officials claim the case started to be investigated earlier this year after the arrest of another suspect in January Jhabararam in Jaisalmer. Investigation and follow up interrogation had allegedly indicated that Kumar was part of a larger spy group.
Kumar was an original Uttar Pradesh resident and worked in the Chabua Air Force Station as a multi-tasking staff (MTS). That is according to the authorities who claim that he abused the office by using sensitive information about the base with them and sent it to his contacts in Pakistan using social media.
Prafulla Kumar, Additional Director General of Police (Intelligence) admitted that the accused was being monitored a long time before arrest. Since 2023, the investigators believe that he had been leaking out important information.
Authorities are currently looking at how much data is being shared and how this may affect the security. More research is being conducted in the quest to find other potential connections and partners in the network. The arrest has also brought up the issue of internal security and misuse of access in the sensitive defence facilities.