Days after DRDO scientist Pradeep Kurulkar was arrested for sharing confidential details to a Pakistani spy, a Foreign Ministry employee had been arrested by Ghaziabad Police on Tuesday. The accused has been identified as Naveen Pal.
According to reports, he used to pass on confidential documents of Ministry of External Affairs to Pakistan. Pal had also sent documents related to the G-20 summit to Pakistan through WhatsApp, allegedly to a female ISI agent called Anjali. The employee has received multiple transactions in his bank account.
Investigative Agencies Grilling Accused In The Matter
Investigators suspect that the woman honey-trapped Naveen and obtained the documents through WhatsApp. They believe she may be a Pakistani spy. Currently, multiple security and investigative agencies, including the Intelligence Bureau, are interrogating the accused.
Sub-Inspector Prahlad Singh from Crossing Republic Police Station filed a case against Naveen under sections 3, 5, and 9 of the Government Secrets Act of 1923, as well as Section 66F of the IT Act. Following this, the police apprehended Naveen near the Shani temple at 4 pm on Monday. He resides in the Bhim Nagar area of Crossing Republic and has completed his 12th grade education. Naveen works as a Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) in the Ministry of External Affairs, said a report in Dainik Bhaskar.
Naveen Sent Classified Dcouments On WhatsApp
The police have recovered an Apple mobile phone from Naveen. In the photo backup section of the device, they found documents related to the Ministry of External Affairs and the G-20, all labeled as 'secret.' Additionally, screenshots of some documents were found. Naveen had sent these photos via WhatsApp using the contact number saved as 'Anjali Calcutta'.
Initial investigations revealed that Naveen claimed to have befriended a girl named Anjali on social media, which led to their conversations and the exchange of contact numbers. Anjali identified herself as a resident of Calcutta. Police also discovered suspicious transactions in Naveen's bank account, indicating that he had received money in exchange for sharing confidential documents.
Anjali Befriended Him 2 Months Ago, Naveen Received Funds
The preliminary information suggests that Naveen had been in contact with the woman for approximately two months. An amount of around 85 thousand rupees has been traced to his bank account. The police suspect that the alleged individual known as Anjali may not actually be from Kolkata but could be associated with Pakistan or the ISI.
DCP (Rural) Shubham Patel stated, "A case has been registered against the accused at Crossing Republic Police Station. He will be sent to jail today. The Ministry of External Affairs has been informed about the incident."
