In a significant counter-intelligence operation, Rajasthan’s CID Intelligence has arrested a contractual manager of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Guest House in Jaisalmer on charges of espionage for Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The accused, a resident of Uttarakhand, is alleged to have shared sensitive details about DRDO scientists and Indian Army officers with Pakistani handlers via social media, raising serious concerns over national security breaches.
Surveillance Leads to Espionage Arrest Ahead of Independence Day
The arrested man, identified as 32-year-old Mahendra Prasad from Palyun in Almora district of Uttarakhand, was employed as a contractual manager at the DRDO Guest House located near the Chandan Field Firing Range in Jaisalmer. This firing range is a critical defence facility where missile and weapons testing is routinely conducted by DRDO scientists in coordination with the Indian Army.
Inspector General of Police (CID-Security), Rajasthan, Dr. Vishnukant, said that with Independence Day celebrations approaching, CID Intelligence had intensified its surveillance to detect any anti-national or subversive activities within the state. During these efforts, intelligence officers picked up leads pointing to possible communication between the DRDO guest house manager and Pakistani intelligence operatives.
According to preliminary findings, Prasad allegedly established contact with ISI handlers through social media platforms, using encrypted and covert communication methods to pass on information. The details reportedly included travel itineraries, movement schedules, and other operational data concerning DRDO scientists and senior Indian Army officers who were visiting the firing range for classified defence projects.
Sources said that such intelligence could be of high value to hostile agencies, potentially enabling them to track India’s defence preparedness, monitor ongoing weapons trials, and undermine national security. This heightened the urgency of the operation and prompted joint action by multiple intelligence units.
Joint Interrogation and Evidence Under Official Secrets Act
Once suspicious activities were flagged, Prasad was detained for questioning and taken to the Central Interrogation Centre in Jaipur. Here, officials from various intelligence and security agencies, including the CID, examined his background, communications, and recent activities. His mobile phone underwent a detailed technical forensic analysis, which investigators say provided confirmation of the espionage link.
The analysis allegedly revealed messages, data exchanges, and location records showing that Prasad had indeed communicated classified and operational information to Pakistani handlers. These exchanges reportedly took place over a sustained period, indicating a deliberate and repeated breach of the Official Secrets Act, 1923.
Following the forensic confirmation, a formal case was registered against him under provisions of the Official Secrets Act. On August 12, Rajasthan CID Intelligence arrested him on charges of espionage. Officials stated that the arrest came after careful verification to ensure the integrity of evidence, as espionage cases carry serious legal and national security implications.
Investigators are now seeking his police remand to conduct further interrogation, with the objective of uncovering the full extent of the espionage network, identifying his handlers in Pakistan, and determining whether other individuals within or outside India were part of the information chain. Authorities are also examining whether he had access to additional classified data that may have been compromised but has not yet been traced.
Security officials stressed that the case underscores the evolving methods of foreign intelligence agencies, which are increasingly targeting individuals with logistical or support roles in defence establishments, rather than only those with direct access to high-level strategic documents. These individuals, though not directly involved in military planning, may still handle critical operational data that can be exploited by hostile forces.
Rajasthan’s CID Intelligence has reiterated that counter-espionage vigilance will remain heightened in the days ahead, particularly around strategic defence zones and ahead of key national events, to prevent similar breaches.
