An Indian Navy employee stationed at the naval headquarters in Delhi was arrested in Jaipur on Wednesday for allegedly leaking sensitive defence information to a Pakistani operative in exchange for payments, a senior police official confirmed on Thursday.
Vishal Yadav, an Upper Division Clerk in the Directorate of Dockyard at the Navy headquarters, is accused of sharing classified details, including information about Operation Sindoor—strikes conducted by the Indian Armed Forces in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir following the Pahalgam terror attack.
Inspector General of Police (CID-Security) Vishnu Kant Gupta revealed that Yadav, a native of Rewari, Haryana, was apprehended after passing sensitive data to a female Pakistani handler posing as an Indian woman named “Priya Sharma.” Gupta stated that Yadav admitted to receiving approximately ₹2 lakh for the information, including ₹50,000 specifically for details related to Operation Sindoor, with some payments made in cryptocurrency.
The investigation uncovered that Yadav was initially contacted via a Facebook friend request from the handler’s fake profile. Their communication soon shifted to WhatsApp and later to Telegram, a platform known for its encrypted messaging. Authorities said Yadav began by sharing low-level information for small payments of ₹5,000 to ₹6,000 but was later enticed with larger sums to disclose critical defence-related data.
“He succumbed to financial inducements and ended up compromising sensitive information from the Navy headquarters,” Gupta said. Yadav’s arrest followed sustained monitoring of his social media activity, which confirmed his interactions with the Pakistani operative. He is now under joint interrogation by multiple national agencies in Jaipur.
Preliminary forensic analysis of Yadav’s mobile phone revealed extensive evidence, including financial transactions, sensitive messages, and confidential defence data shared with the handler. Authorities are also examining his cryptocurrency dealings to uncover further connections.
Gupta noted that Yadav’s addiction to online gaming may have made him vulnerable to such espionage traps. Hailing from Punsika village in Rewari, Haryana, Yadav’s actions have raised concerns about the sophisticated methods employed by Pakistani intelligence to extract strategic information.
“This arrest reflects our vigilant monitoring and swift response to such threats,” Gupta said, emphasizing that authorities are intensifying efforts to counter espionage activities targeting India’s defence apparatus.