Rashmi Ranjan

Another honey trap case has surfaced at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in Chandipur with Balasore police on Friday arresting a senior technical officer for allegedly leaking confidential information to a Pakistani agent.

The accused has been identified as Baburam Dey (57) and he was arrested on the basis of a complaint filed at Chandipur police station.

According to police, the senior official of the ITR was honey-trapped by a Pakistani agent with nude videos. The senior officer reportedly shared important information about the DRDO with the agent.

Briefing the mediapersons, Inspector General (IG) of police (eastern range) Himashu Lal said, “A senior official of the ITR has been apprehended for leaking sensitive information to some foreign agents working in Pakistan in lieu of nude videos.”

“The mobile phone of the officer has been seized and further investigation into the matter is on to find out if any other persons are involved. A similar honey trap case was also registered in 2021. We have traced the location of the queen bee and it is Rawalpindi,” Lal added.

“We have been keeping an eye on the official. During interrogation, we have found he has shared sensitive information in the form of photographs and communication. Detailed investigation into the matter is on,” Balasore SP Sagarika Nath informed.

A case has been filed against him under IPC sections 120A and 120B (criminal conspiracy), besides the Official Secrets Act, the police said.

This is not the first time when honey trap case has surfaced at the ITR, Chandipur. 

In September 2021, five contractual employees of ITR-Chandipur were arrested in espionage case.

A contractual employee of ITR-Chandipur was arrested in a similar case in 2015. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2021 for sharing information with Pakistan's ISI.

Notably, Chandipur has two DRDO test ranges -- PXE (Proof and Experimental Establishment) and ITR. India evaluates the performances of its missiles, rockets and air-borne weapons systems at these two ranges.

(Reported by Rashmi Ranjan Das, OTV)

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