Data entry operator at finance ministry arrested espionage: police

Officers said Sumit was told to access details about the draft Union Budget and send it to his handlers in Pakistan and other countries via WhatsApp. He received money for every file that he sent to his handlers

A data entry operator (DOP) in the Union ministry of finance was arrested by Delhi police on charges of spying, officers aware of the case said on Wednesday.

Sumit was arrested after a tip-off by the Intelligence Bureau (IB), which was monitoring his activities. Police said they recovered a mobile phone from Sumit through which he communicated with his handlers and pass on classified information.

Police identified the arrested man by his first name, Sumit (30), who was a contractual employee in the ministry. Officers said Sumit was told to access details about the draft Union Budget and send it to his handlers in Pakistan and other countries via WhatsApp.

To be sure, Delhi police neither confirmed this officially nor shared details about the nature of documents that the accused sent over WhatsApp.

HT sent an email query to the ministry of finance but there was no response on the man’s alleged activities while working in the ministry. Sumit was arrested on Tuesday afternoon.

Police said they recovered a mobile phone from Sumit through which he communicated with his handlers and pass on classified information.

Sumit was arrested after a tip-off by the Intelligence Bureau (IB), which was monitoring his activities. The crime branch has filed a case under sections 3/9 of the Official Secrets Act.

A police officer, who asked not to be named, said Sumit started his espionage activities recently. “We are checking the timeline of his spying activity. He received money for each file that he sent to his handlers via WhatsApp. We are checking his bank accounts and finding out if more people are involved in this espionage.”

Investigation so far has revealed that Sumit was first approached by his handlers on social media websites. Police are likely to question other employees in the office where Sumit worked.

Senior police officers said foreign intelligence agencies often lure contractual employees or those with multi-tasking jobs by luring them with money or blackmailing them, after befriending them by posing as women on social media.

In November last year, the crime branch arrested a contractual driver working for the ministry of external affairs on charges of spying. The man was lured by a Pakistan-based handler, who posed as a woman and befriended him on social media.

In May 2022, an Indian Air Force sergeant was arrested for sending classified information to a person he also befriended on social media. Police said his Pakistan-based handler posed as a woman and trapped the sergeant.