As reported by The Indian Express, the individual taken into custody has been recognized as Bhakt Banshi Jha (36), originally from Darbhanga, Bihar. According to authorities, Jha was employed as a delivery personnel at a courier company based in New Delhi.

The STF asserted that the individual under suspicion was involved in covertly sending pictures and videos of locations from different Indian cities and defence facilities to a woman situated in Pakistan, IE reported.

Also Read: Honey-trapped DRDO scientist Kurulkar attracted to Pakistani agent, discussed Indian missile systems: Chargesheet

A senior Kolkata Police officer said, “We got information that the suspect travelled to several Indian cities, including Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata. This travel pattern raised suspicion that the photographs and videos of these cities might have fallen into the hands of Pakistan’s Intelligence Bureau, causing security concerns. A special STF team has already been dispatched to Bihar, the native state of the apprehended individual. The suspect is under tight security for further interrogation and legal proceedings.”

Jha met the Pakistani woman on a social networking site and the two gradually became friends, the officials said, adding, “The Pakistani woman started chatting with Jha on WhatsApp on an Indian mobile number.”

Also Read: Finance Ministry employee arrested on espionage; ‘Classified information’ passed to Pakistan

Subsequently, the woman informed him that she required certain images of Indian defence installations, citing that her sister worked as a defence journalist. She also provided him with a mobile application, which enabled Jha to commence sending photographs to her.

“Jha sent several photographs of defence installations to this woman, raising security concerns,” said the officer.

Updated: 27 Aug 2023, 08:51 AM IST