ANOTHER ESPIONAGE NETWORK BUSTED: ANOTHER ESPIONAGE NETWORK BUSTED: ONE TECHNICIAN OF AIRFORCE ARRESTED

• ANOTHER ESPIONAGE NETWORK BUSTED.
• ONE TECHNICIAN OF AIRFORCE ARRESTED.
• MODUS OPERANDI OF HONEYTRAP DEPLOYED BY PAK BASED INTELLIGENCE OPERATIVE.
• FICTITIOUS FACEBOOK ACCOUNTS USED TO IDENTITY, LURE AND CULTIVATE THE SERVING DEFENCE PERSONNEL.

INTRODUCTION:-

In a combined operation conducted by Delhi Police Crime Branch Military Intelligence and Air Force Liaisoning Unit (LU) a major breakthrough has been achieved in busting a espionage network supported by intelligence agencies of neighboring country. A serving LAC (Leading Air Craftsman) of Air Force has been arrested from Bhatinda Air Force Station in this regard. LAC Ranjith KK had joined the service in year 2010 and was posted at Bhatinda Air Force Station.

INFORMATION & TEAM:-

Information was received that a few of serving defense personnel are being pulled into espionage network through the modus operandi of honey-trap. A team led by ACP KPS Malhotra and consisting of Insprs Surinder Sandhu, Sunil Kumar, PC Yadav, SIs Vijay Kumar, Neeraj and other lower subordinates under the supervision of DCP Bhisham Singh and overall supervision of Addl.CP Alok Kumar was formed to further develop the information and take necessary action. It was further revealed that fictitious accounts in the name of girls having profile pictures of ladies are used to identify, befriend and lure defence personnel in to an espionage network.

As per the enquiry, these cyber profiles deploy the method of blackmailing or deception to extract secret and confidential defence information without revealing their actual identity.  In the instant case, LAC Ranjith KK was deceived by such a cyber entity in the name of Damini McNaught  portraying that she is working in an UK based media firm and they required Air Force related information for their news magazine from him in exchange of pecuniary benefits.

LAC Ranjith KK has accepted to have passed Air Force related information pertaining to a recent Air Force exercise, movements of Air Crafts and deployment of various units in Air Force. In return, he has received monetary benefits in his bank account. As per the investigation so far, it has been assessed that LAC Ranjith was befooled by the cross border spies. He had even received a few VOIP based calls on his mobile number in which the other party, a female with British accent, introduced herself as Damini McNaught and posed as an executive of UK based news magazine. She even interviewed LAC Ranjith and then assigned him the task of getting the information. She deceived him by saying that the information will be published and he will get due monetary benefits for this.

Further investigation is underway.

RAVINDRA YADAV (IPS)

JOINT COMMISSIONER OF POLICE

CRIME: DELHI