New Delhi: The Indian Air Force’s Counter Intelligence Wing has detained a senior Air Force official for allegedly leaking classified information to a woman among others, reported the Times of India.
The report also mentioned that the officer, a Group Captain, a rank equivalent to a colonel in the Indian Army, might have been ‘honey-trapped’. The case is suspected to be an espionage ring being run from Pakistan.
Sources told the Times of India that the officer was allegedly using his smart phone to click pictures of classified documents at the Air Headquarters and then using the popular messaging platform “WhatsApp” to transmit them to the woman, whose identity is not yet clear.
The report further mentioned that the officer had got to know the woman on Facebook and there is suspicion that he might have been ‘honey-trapped and compromised’ at some point in the relationship.
However, the Indian Air Force has said that it was a routine counter intelligence surveillance and the Group Captain was discovered ‘indulging “was indulging in certain unwanted activities through unauthorized electronic devices which is against existing orders”.
According to another report filed by the NDTV, the officials are trying to understand the extent to which classified data has been leaked. They are also trying to gauge whether others have been involved in the information leakage.
The armed forces have a very strict policy on using social media applications. The officers can have a social media presence but are barred from posting their photos in uniform, revealing their place of posting, or revealing any official material, information of visits or any plans of operations or infrastructure building.
