A Pakistan agent apparently tried to honey-trap seven Indian Army men after getting access to two unofficial Whatsapp groups of the defense personnel.
Additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP), investigation, Rupinder Kaur Bhatti said the Pakistani Intelligence Operative (PIO), purportedly a woman, managed to enter the two Whatsapp groups after befriending a resident of Ludhiana, Jaswinder Singh, through Facebook about one year back.
For this, she introduced herself as Jasleen Brar and claimed she works in the Indian Army’s accounts branch in Bathinda Cantt. The PIO used some audio recordings regarding movement of Army battalions to win Singh’s trust.
Advertisement
The Ludhiana man Jaswinder Singh, who worked at a factory, gave her three thee cell numbers which were used by the PIO to get access to unofficial Whatsapp groups – ‘Western cmd mutual posting’ and ‘MES information update’ – of the defense personnel.
Once entering these two Whatsapp groups, the Pakistani intelligence operative got in touch with seven defense personnel through chats and tried to honey trap them.
A senior police officer said WhatsApp chats have confirmed contact between seven defence personnel and the PIO. “We are analysing these Whatsapp chats to confirm if the PIO succeeded in honey trapping these defense personnel,” he added.
Meanwhile, acting on an input from the Air Force intelligence unit Jodhpur, Ludhiana Police on Monday arrested Jaswinder Singh, a resident of Uchi Daud village Maloud, in the espionage case for allegedly helping the PIO in her attempt to honey trap defence personnel.
Jaswinder allegedly received Rs 10,000 from the PIO in his bank account via ‘PhonePe’ app. On directions of the PIO, he further transferred the amount to another account from Pune, Maharashtra. The PIO was further directing him to go to Jaipur in order to collect a CD.