Overview
- Sumit Kumar, a 36-year-old multi-tasking staffer at IAF Station Chabua, was detained Sunday in a joint Rajasthan–Air Force Intelligence operation and remanded until April 2 under the Official Secrets Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
- Investigators say his phone held photos of fighter jets, missile systems and base coordinates, and they have traced about Rs 3.25 lakh to him as alleged payments since 2023.
- The probe stems from a January arrest in Jaisalmer of Jhabararam, whose questioning led agencies to Kumar’s alleged contacts with Pakistan-based operatives.
- In a parallel Ghaziabad case, police report 18 to 22 suspects including minors held for reconnaissance of sensitive sites, with the NIA questioning detainees and a local charge sheet filed.
- Police outline methods that included Instagram recruitment, GPS timestamp apps, SIM-powered solar CCTV cameras at Delhi Cantonment and Sonipat, forwarding of OTP codes tied to Indian SIMs, and small per-task payments routed through public service shops.