DRDO photographer sentenced to life for espionage, likened to a terrorist

It was found that Behera would go close to the missile testing sites, take videos, and later leave for Kolkata to meet his handler, an ISI agent.

Published on: Feb 12, 2021, 09:04:37 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty | Edited by Abhinav Sahay, Bhubaneswar

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A contractual videographer for Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has been sentenced to life by an Odisha court for sharing sensitive photographs of DRDO’s integrated missile test range in Chandipur with Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI. The judge likened the convict’s act to that of terrorism.

Behera was under surveillance by the IB before his arrest. (PTI File Photo)

41-year-old Ishwar Behera, worked as a contractual videographer at the CCTV station of DRDO's missile test range facility at Chandipur. He was convicted under Sections 121A (espionage) and 120B of the IPC and 3, 4 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act and sentenced to life by the court of additional sessions judge Girija Prasad Mohapatra.

"The terrorist groups collect information from people of India like the present convict by providing them money. A group of these people of India are regularly supplying information to the enemies. People like Behera, (who) are putting the safety and security of the Union of India in the hands of the terrorists, are also terrorists. They are the active participants against the sovereignty of India. Whoever goes against the sovereignty of India would put India and its citizens in dangerous situations. They are required to be punished with utmost severity," judge Mohapatra said in his order. He said terror attacks carried out by Pakistan-based militants could happen in India because people like Behera provided them with information.

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During investigation it was found that Behera would go close to the missile testing sites, take videos, and later leave for Kolkata on the pretext of getting his camera repaired. In Kolkata, he used to hand over the videos and other sensitive information to ISI agents. Ishwar was in touch with his handler over the phone and met him at least 10 times, the prosecution had claimed during the trial.

It was also found that money had been transferred to his account from Abu Dhabi, Mumbai, Meerut, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar among others. He was under surveillance by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) before his arrest.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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