Honey-Trapped! Pakistan ISI Agent Poses As IBM Employee, Got Man Into Sharing Sensitive BrahMos Info From DRDO
The Pakistani agent, who was in pursuit of sensitive details related to BrahMos, befriended Mishra through social media and attempted to persuade him to leak information.
A man has been arrested in Gujarat’s Bharuch district on suspicion of espionage for Pakistan’s ISI, authorities revealed on Thursday. The individual, identified as Pravin Mishra, reportedly fell victim to a honey-trap orchestrated by an ISI operative named Sonal Garg. According to reports, Mishra allegedly disclosed crucial details concerning drones developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
The main accused, an ISI handle, identified herself as Sonal Garg. She told him that she was working at IBM Chandigarh. She honey-trapped Pravin Mishra and got to extract India’s defence-related information. The Pakistani operative also used an Indian WhatsApp number and the fake Facebook ID under the name Sonal Garg to target and trap Mishra.
Pravin Mishra, an aeronautical engineer by profession, worked at a factory in Gujarat’s Ankleshwar. The company supplied synthetic chemical to Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO). The Pakistani agent, who was in pursuit of sensitive details related to BrahMos, befriended Mishra through social media and attempted to persuade him to leak information.
The handler, successfully lured Mishra into sharing sensitive defence-related data, marking a serious breach of national security. The ISI operative also reportedly attempted to install malware on Mishra’s office server.
Meanwhile, Pravin Mishra has been booked under section 123 of the Indian Penal Code, which pertains to concealing information with the intent to facilitate acts of war. Additionally, relevant sections of the IT Act have been invoked in the case.
“She honey-trapped one Pravin Mishra, who worked in Hyderabad in an organisation which in turn worked with DRDO,” CID ADGP Rajkumar Pandian told PTI.
“She got Pravin Mishra to extract India’s defence-related information… Pravin Mishra shared some vital information,” he added.
The investigation began after a tip-off from Military Intelligence in Udhampur, which alerted authorities about attempts to target current or retired personnel of the Armed Forces, DRDO, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), and those involved in missile system development.
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