Ordnance Factory Worker Arrested: The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has arrested a man named Ravindra Kumar, who worked at an Ordnance Factory in Hazratpur, Firozabad. Kumar was taken into custody on charges of spying. He is accused of sharing secret defense information with a woman linked to Pakistan’s intelligence agency. The arrest happened late on Thursday at the ATS headquarters in Lucknow.
Officials say Kumar worked as a chargeman at the Ordnance Factory. He allegedly shared sensitive documents with a woman named “Neha Sharma,” who is believed to be working for Pakistani intelligence. Kumar met Sharma online through Facebook in June and July 2024. Over time, he fell into her trap and started sharing classified information. Intelligence reports suggested that Kumar’s actions could harm India’s internal and external security. This led to close monitoring of his activities.
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The ATS began watching Kumar closely, both electronically and physically. According to TOI, they gathered enough evidence to call him in for questioning on March 12, 2025, at their Agra field unit. At first, Kumar avoided giving clear answers. He stayed overnight for more questioning and was later taken to the ATS headquarters in Lucknow.
During the investigation, the ATS checked Kumar’s phone, a Redmi Note 9 Pro. They found WhatsApp chats with a contact saved as “Chandan Store Keeper 2.” Further checks revealed that this number belonged to Neha Sharma. Kumar had used a fake name to hide her identity and avoid suspicion.
The ATS discovered that Kumar had leaked highly confidential documents. These included a daily production report with details about drones and the Gaganyaan project, a confidential letter about promotions, a list of unaccounted stock, and a file about a secret meeting on March 10, 2025. The meeting file contained information about a drone trial involving Ordnance Factory officials and the 51 Gorkha Rifles in Dehradun.
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When questioned, Kumar admitted to sharing the documents but claimed he had no bad intentions. He said he used a fake name for Sharma’s contact to hide their communication from his wife and others. The ATS seized several items from Kumar, including Rs 6,220 in cash, an SBI debit card, two post office debit cards, and his Aadhaar, voter ID, and PAN cards.
Kumar has been charged under Section 148 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023 and Sections 3/4/5 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923. ATS officials stated that Kumar’s actions posed a serious threat to national security. They also confirmed that Kumar knew about Sharma’s connection to Pakistan’s intelligence agency, ISI.
