Group Captain Arun Marwah, who has trained the best commandos in Indian forces, had been intercepted by central intelligence agencies about a fortnight ago.
A senior Indian Air Force officer was arrested on Thursday by the Delhi police for falling into Pakistani spy agency ISI's trap and passing on critical information on the IAF's plans to it after being lured by two non-existent women on Facebook.
Group Captain Arun Marwah, who has trained the best commandos in Indian forces, had been intercepted by central intelligence agencies about a fortnight ago. Sources said, Marwah, commissioned in 1981, was to retire next year.
"Kiran Randhawa" and "Mahima Patel" exchanged lewd pictures and videos with the 51-year old officer, indulging him in intimate conversations. Marwah obliged them and the exchanges continued for nearly six months. By the time he realised the women were fictitious, the damage was done.
After being "digitally honey-trapped", Marwah was blackmailed. "He was told his chats will be made public. Instead of informing authorities, he got scared and passed on information," said an official privy to the details of the case.
He told interrogators that chatting with the "women" was just casual. "I don't know why I did this. Never did it for money. It was a mistake," he told those who grilled him.
Marwah came under scrutiny about two weeks ago and was handed over to the Delhi police on Thursday. A case under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) has been registered.
It all started with an non-suspicious friend request from two "attractive women" on Facebook. For a para-trainer with more than 2,000 jumps to his credit and an accomplished instructor of elite commandos from the IAF's Garuda, the Navy's MARCOS to Special Forces of the India Army, the attention was nothing new. As the friendship became more intimate, the exchanges and "sex chats" shifted to WhatsApp, sources said.
"The fake identities of two women were used to lure Marwah into dirty talks. Almost addicted to it, he responded with texts and videos regularly," said a Delhi police officer.
Gradually, he was enticed to divulge secret information related to the Air Force's strategic locations, documents related to the movements and operations, which he shared.
DCP, special cell, Pramod Kushwah said technical surveillance was mounted on Marwah and he was detained after the investigating agency stumbled upon his suspected links with the ISI, following the trail of messages sent by him.
"Once WhatsApp chats and phone records are analysed we will be able to gather evidence against him. The matter is being probed," he said
It is suspected that the information he passed on could also be linked to upcoming Air Force operations to the neighbouring country, possibly a planned surgical strike.
Last year in October, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa warned Pakistan, saying India is ready to carry out a full-spectrum operation. Marwah has earlier been associated with Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE), a DRDO wing. He completed his education at DAV College in Ambala and at Sainik School in Kapurthala.
Enemy of state
- ARUN MARWAH, 51, IAF Group Captain, commissioned in 1981
- Trained Army para-commandos, IAF Garuda commandos and Navy’s MARCOS
- Worked at Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment, a DRDO wing
THE ESPIONAGE
- Marwah accepts friend request from 2 unknown, unverified women’s accounts on FB
- Exchange of texts via FB Messenger soon turns into lewd, obscene chats on WhatsApp
- Marwah shares sensitive info regarding IAF’s strategic locations, movements and operations
- Intercepted by intelligence agencies, he is detained and grilled before being handed over to Delhi police
PAK SPY AGENCY ON PROWL
Sept 2017: Delhi police arrests ISI agent for blackmailing a female Colonel into divulging secret info
Feb 2017: A teacher who worked with NATO caught by Delhi police for links with ISI
Jan 2016: Key IAF officer honey-trapped through fake FB account into sharing info on Tactical and Combat Deployment Establishment
Dec 2015: Soldier held in Darjeeling on suspicion of spying for Pak
Nov 2015: Delhi police arrests two BSF men for sharing national security info with ISI
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