The Indian Navy staffer, who has been arrested for allegedly leaking defence-related information to a Pakistani handler, used Telegram for communication and received some of the payments through cryptocurrency.
Vishal Yadav, an Upper Division Clerk (UDC) posted in the Indian Navy headquarters in Delhi, was arrested in Jaipur on Wednesday for allegedly leaking defence-related sensitive information to the Pakistani intelligence handler he met on Facebook.
The police have revealed that Yadav was first approached on Facebook, where the Pakistani handler sent a friend request under the fake identity "Priya Sharma", news agency PTI reported.
Yadav, who hails from Haryana's Rewari district, was allegedly sharing sensitive information in exchange for money. He also shared details on India's Operation Sindoor, which was carried out by the Indian Armed Forces in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, according to the report.
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What police probe revealed?
The initial probe has revealed that Yadav, who worked with the Directorate of Dockyard at the Navy building, allegedly shared details on Operation Sindoor to a female Pakistani handler posing as an Indian woman.
Vishnu Kant Gupta, Inspector General of Police (CID-Security), said Yadav confessed to receiving approximately ₹2 lakh in total in exchange for the information he passed on to the Pakistani handler.
{{/usCountry}}Vishnu Kant Gupta, Inspector General of Police (CID-Security), said Yadav confessed to receiving approximately ₹2 lakh in total in exchange for the information he passed on to the Pakistani handler.
{{/usCountry}}"Yadav confessed to receiving approximately ₹2 lakh in total for the information he passed on," Gupta said, adding that the amount included ₹50,000 for leaking information on Operation Sindoor.
Intelligence sources said that Yadav was first approached on Facebook, where the Pakistani handler sent a friend request under the fake identity "Priya Sharma", according to PTI.
The two started communicating on the social media website, following which the communication shifted to WhatsApp and later to Telegram, a messaging platform known for its encryption-enabled messages.
The sleuths also said that the Navy staffer initially received smaller payments of ₹5,000- ₹6,000 for lower-grade information. However, the handler encouraged him to provide more valuable intelligence in exchange for higher compensation, which is when Yadav began sharing critical defence-related information. The police further said that some of the payments were made in cryptocurrency.
Yadav is also said to be addicted to online gaming, which authorities believe may be the reason behind the breach of information.
The investigating agencies have said that the forensic examination of Yadav's mobile phone uncovered extensive evidence, including financial transactions, sensitive messages, and confidential defence data.