New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday night arrested freelance defence journalist Vivek Raghuvanshi and his associate, identified as former Navy Commander Ashish Pathak, from Delhi for allegedly collecting sensitive information related to the projects of the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) and the future procurement of Indian armed forces, and sharing them with intelligence agencies of foreign countries.
CBI had conducted searches in 12 locations in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Jaipur in connection with the case on Tuesday, The Indian Express reported.
A source said initially the Delhi Police had lodged an FIR against Raghuvanshi, and the investigation was later transferred to CBI, who filed a fresh case against him and his associates. “After conducting the raids and collecting evidence against him, Raghuvanshi was arrested on Tuesday night. His associate was also arrested,” TIE reported quoting the source.
“On May 9, CBI lodged an FIR against Vivek Raghuvanshi on the allegations that he was involved in the illegal collection of sensitive information including the minute details of the DRDO defence projects and their progress, sensitive details about the future procurement of Indian armed forces which reveal the strategic preparedness of country’s classified communications/information relating to national security, details of the strategic and diplomatic talks of India with our friendly countries. After collecting them, he was sharing such classified information with the intelligence agencies of foreign countries,” a CBI spokesperson had said Tuesday.
“During the investigation, certain documents containing sensitive information were recovered from the possession of the accused. Today, the CBI has conducted searches at 12 locations at the premises of the accused and others in an ongoing investigation of a case registered under Section 3 of the Official Secret Act and Section 120-B of the Indian Penal Code,” the spokesperson had said.
An official said the information, if brought out, could have spoilt India’s bilateral relations with these countries.
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