DRDO scientist Pradeep Kurulkar was allegedly lured by a Pakistani Intelligence Operative who was using the alias 'Zara Dasgupta' and shared classified information regarding Indian missiles and other defence equipment with her. The Pune-based scientist was arrested on espionage charges on May 3 by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS).
The ATS filed a 1,800-page chargesheet against Kurulkar last week, alleging that he engaged in conversations with 'Zara Dasgupta' regarding Indian missile systems and other classified defence projects.
Who is Pradeep Kurulkar?
Pradeep Kurulkar was the Director at the Systems Engineering Laboratory of the Research & Development Establishment (Engineers), which is a part of the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO).
Kurulkar has played a key role in several strategically significant projects of the organisation, including the nuclear capable Agni missile series in addition to several other missile systems, according to DRDO's official website.
Why was the DRDO scientist arrested?
On May 3, Pradeep Kurulkar was arrested under the Official Secrets Act for sharing sensitive details about India’s missile, drone and robotics programmes with a female Pakistan-based intelligence operative. He is currently in judicial custody. The chargesheet revealed that Kurulkar and the female Pakistan-based intelligence operative 'Zara Dasgupta' maintained communication through WhatsApp, as well as through voice and video calls.
What did the chargesheet say?
DRDO scientist Pradeep Kurulkar was attracted to the Pakistani Intelligence Operative who used the alias `Zara Dasgupta’ and chatted with her about Indian missile systems among other classified defence projects, as per the charge sheet.
Kurulkar and `Zara Dasgupta’ were in contact through WhatsApp as well as voice and video calls. `Dasgupta’ claimed to be a software engineer based in the UK and befriended the scientist by sending obscene messages and videos, PTI reported. During investigation, her IP address was traced to Pakistan, the ATS said in the charge sheet.
The Pakistani agent tried to obtain classified and sensitive information regarding the Brahmos Launcher, Drone, UCV, Agni Missile Launcher and Military Bridging System among other things, the charge sheet further said.
“Kurulkar, who was attracted to her, stored the classified and sensitive information of DRDO on his personal phone and then allegedly shared with Zara,” the charge sheet said. He chatted with her about various projects including surface-to-air missiles (SAM), drones, Brahmos and Agni Missile Launchers and UCV.
According to reports, in one of the chats with the PIO agent, Kurulkar shared the contact numbers of the two Indian scientists who were handling crucial projects at the DRDO’s Pune unit.
The two were in contact from June 2022 to December 2022, as per the ATS.
Just before the DRDO initiated an internal probe after his activities were found to be suspicious, Kurulkar blocked Zara’s number in February 2023. He soon received a WhatsApp message from another unknown Indian number, stating ‘Why you blocked my number.’ The chat records also showed that he shared his personal as well as official schedules and locations with her despite knowing that he was not supposed to share them with anyone, the charge sheet said.
Moreover, it was discovered that the Apple MacBook provided to the ATS by DRDO did not belong to Kurulkar. Maharashtra ATS is also investigating whether this mix-up was deliberate, possibly aimed at concealing crucial information that may have been present on
the MacBook, a report by Mid-day said.
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