The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested a scientist who worked for the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in Mumbai. The scientist is accused of giving secret information to a Pakistani agent.
The scientist has been charged of using WhatsApp and video calls to talk to an agent of a “Pakistan Intelligence Operative” and falling for a honeytrap.
Pradeep Kurulkar, who is 60 years old, is the Director of the Research & Development Establishment (Engineers) in Pune. The DRDO’s R&DE(E) is a very important facility, and Kurulkar worked on a number of important projects, such as the creation of missiles. The DRDO filed a complaint against Kurulkar, which led to the start of the probe.
Kurulkar is called a “outstanding scientist” on the DRDO website. He is in charge of the project and manages the tools for Akash Ground tools.
The DRDO website says, “He was a key member of the Akash team and played a major role in designing, developing, and making Akash Launchers and mission-critical Ground Systems.” Kurulkar had planned to stop playing in November.
On Wednesday, Kurulkar was taken into prison. The ATS news release said, “Even though he knew that if the enemy country got hold of the official secrets he had, they could threaten the security of the country, he gave the details to the enemy country.” The Kalachowki office of the ATS in Mumbai has filed a case against the accused under the relevant parts of the Official Secrets Act. There are plans to find out more.
“This seems to be mostly a case of a honeytrap, in which the senior scientist has met with intelligence agents from Pakistan.” The cop said that pictures of women on social media sites were used to lure Kurulkar. “From September to October of last year, he was in touch with Pakistani agents through voicemails and video calls, and it is thought that he shared sensitive information with them,” the officer said.
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