Journalist, former navy commander held in espionage case

Freelance journalist Vivek Raghuvanshi and former navy commander Ashish Pathak have been booked under the Official Secrets Act.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a freelance journalist and a former navy commander for allegedly passing on sensitive military information, including details of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) projects and future procurements of the armed forces, to enemy countries, people familiar with the development said on Wednesday.

Earlier, CBI conducted raids at 12 locations, including premises linked to the two, as part of a “larger conspiracy” probe, which officials said, could have an impact on India’s bilateral ties with certain countries. (Representational image)

Freelance journalist Vivek Raghuvanshi and former navy commander Ashish Pathak have been booked under the Official Secrets Act (OSA), which deals with charges of spying and leak of classified information, and Section 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code. The agency produced them before the Rouse Avenue Courts, where a special judge sent them to 6-day CBI custody, officials said.

Earlier, CBI conducted raids at 12 locations, including premises linked to Raghuvanshi and Pathak, as part of a “larger conspiracy” probe, which officials said, could have an impact on India’s bilateral ties with certain countries.

“The journalist and the naval officer were questioned on Tuesday evening and taken into custody under OSA,” said an officer, declining to be named.

CBI said on Wednesday that during searches, it has seized 48 electronic devices, including laptops, tablets, mobile phones, hard disks and pen drive, belonging to Raghuvanshi and others.

Besides, it has also recovered a number of incriminating documents relating to Indian defence establishments, the agency said.

“It was alleged that the accused and his associate (ex-navy Commander, presently working with a private firm) were in possession of classified secret document related to Indian defence establishments. The scrutiny of devices recovered so far from the possession of accused also revealed that the accused was allegedly collecting confidential information related to India’s defence procurement from different sources and was in contact with several foreign entities/agents/persons, and that he had entered into contracts or agreements with several foreign entities for sharing of confidential information,” said a CBI spokesperson on Wednesday.

“It was also alleged that Raghuvanshi and his family members had received substantial amount from foreign sources,” spokesperson added.

An official, requesting anonymity, said around ₹3 crore was received by Raghuvanshi and his family.

The federal agency was discreetly conducting an investigation into the alleged leaks after registering a case in this regard on December 9 last year. The probe was initially launched by the Delhi Police Special Cell but considering international ramifications, it was handed over to CBI.

In a first information report (FIR), seen by HT, the agency has alleged that Raghuvanshi and others were supplying information to intelligence agencies of enemy countries.

“As per information, this is an international network in which some of the Indian journalists are supplying aforementioned strategic/secret information with intelligence agencies of foreign enemy countries,” read the FIR.

Based in Jaipur, Raghuvanshi contributed articles to a US-based news portal that focuses on defence and space manufacturing developments.

“There are international ramifications to this probe,” said a second officer, who also requested anonymity. “We have to find out what all data or information about defence projects had been shared.”