On suspicion of spying for Pakistan’s ISI, a man was detained in Gujarat’s Bharuch district on Thursday, according to the official announcement. As per Hindustan Times reports, police say the culprit, identified as Pravin Mishra, became a victim of a honeytrap set up by an ISI agent. Mishra revealed important information on drones created by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) in India.
The ISI handler lured accused Pravin Mishra using a fake Facebook profile of “Sonal Garg,” who claimed to work for Chandigarh-based IT giant IBM. Later, the Crime Investigation Department (CID) alleged, the discussion moved to WhatsApp, where Mishra disclosed private information.
Indian Navy to Receive Next-Generation SMART Torpedo System
Following his arrest on Thursday from the Ankleshwar industrial region in Bharuch, Mishra was placed under 14-day police detention.
About a year ago, Mishra quit a job with a Hyderabad company that provided defence installations, including the DRDO, with equipment and spare parts. That was when the honey trap started. Later, in Bharuch, he joined a speciality chemical firm that also supplied the DRDO.
According to a Gujarat CID statement, a honeytrap mechanism was allegedly targeting specific current and former officials.
According to a CID source, Mishra divulged details about missile technology he learned while working for the Hyderabad company. “It was among the earliest companies to develop missile technologies for DRDO. “Mishra passed on to the ISI handler his fair knowledge of the technologies and specifics involved in missile technologies, having earned a diploma in aeronautical engineering,” the source informed.
The insider added that although Mishra started exchanging information on WhatsApp about four months ago, the honeytrap started a year ago. He said that Mishra’s older brother served in the Army and was long-known to the ISI handler, even before the honey trapping started.
During a news conference on Thursday, Raj Kumar Pandian, Additional Director General of CID, stated that the accused had disclosed drone-related material. Mishra had little understanding of the indigenous Brahmos missiles because he had not worked directly with DRDO on these technologies, but he stated the ISI handler also tried to get information on them.
Because Pravin Mishra worked for a business that supplied parts to DRDO, he was singled out. Using an Indian mobile number, the manager used to switch the chat from Facebook to WhatsApp after initially honeytrapping him there. Pandian told the media that information was taken out of Pravin Mishra after he was lured.
Pandian went on to say that additional people employed by defence installations had also been singled out and that their identities would be made public during the appropriate inquiry period.
