Ex-IAF officer arrested in Assam on spying charges
What's the story
A retired Indian Air Force officer has been arrested in Assam's Sonitpur district on charges of having links with a Pakistani espionage network. The accused, Kulendra Sarma, was taken into custody from his residence in Tezpur's Patia locality on Friday night after a thorough surveillance operation and preliminary investigation by the police.
Espionage details
Sarma's alleged espionage activities and police investigation
Sarma, who had retired as a Junior Warrant Officer from the Tezpur Air Force Station in 2002, is suspected of sharing sensitive documents with Pakistani intelligence operatives through social media. His laptop and mobile phone have been seized by the police for forensic examination. However, some data on these devices is believed to have been deleted.
Legal proceedings
Case registered against Sarma under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita
A case has been registered against Sarma under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). He is expected to be produced in court on Saturday. Haricharan Bhumij, Deputy Superintendent of Police in Sonitpur, confirmed that although there are strong suspicions about Sarma's links with Pakistan, they can't be confirmed until the investigation is completed.