New Delhi: The Intelligence Wing of the Rajasthan Police has arrested Vishal Yadav, an upper‑division clerk at the Indian Navy headquarters in Delhi, accusing him of leaking critical defence information—including during Operation Sindoor—to Pakistani handlers, reports claimed.
Authorities say Yadav, a resident of Rewari, Haryana, was under surveillance for months before being apprehended in Jaipur. Yoav Vishnukant Gupta, a senior Rajasthan police officer, explained: “The CID Intelligence unit … zeroed in on Yadav, who was in constant contact with a female handler of a Pakistani intelligence agency through social media.”
Reportedly, the Pakistani handler—posing online as “Priya Sharma”—exploited Yadav’s addiction to online gaming and dire financial state. Yadav was “addicted to online gaming and in debt,” which rendered him vulnerable to manipulation, reported the Economic Times.
According to police, Yadav was paid via cryptocurrency (USDT) and traditional bank transfers in exchange for sensitive military data during Operation Sindoor, which involved a four‑day military confrontation between India and Pakistan from May 7–10.
A forensic investigation of Yadav’s cellphone reportedly uncovered extensive communication logs and document transfers confirming the espionage. Rajasthan’s CID Intelligence formally arrested him under the Official Secrets Act, 1923.
Multiple intelligence agencies are conducting a joint interrogation at the Central Interrogation Centre in Jaipur to assess the full scope of the breach and examine potential co-conspirators.
This arrest comes amid a broader crackdown on suspected Pakistani espionage networks following a devastating terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir. Over 26 civilians were killed, prompting intensified vigilance.
