Pak agent gave Rs 15,000 to Thane man as gift
RAVI VARMA (27), the Thane resident arrested last week by the Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) for allegedly providing sensitive information to a Pakistan Intelligence Operative (PIO), had put his company's name and phone number on his social media profile, making him an easy target of enemy spies, officials said.
Varma, who was honey-trapped by the PIO posing as a college student from Punjab, worked for a defence firm contracted by the Indian Navy.
Initially, the PIO contacted him on messenger through fake accounts but he blocked them. The Pakistani agent then contacted him directly on WhatsApp as his mobile number too was mentioned on his profile, an official said, adding that those working in sensitive sectors should not mention personal details on their social media accounts as PIOs actively seek such information online.
Giving details of how he was honey-trapped, the official said initially the PIO posed as a girl, identifying herself as 'Preety', a student of Panjab University, and contacted him on Facebook messenger. She said she had a college project related to construction of a ship and needed his help. He blocked her. She then contacted him from another account identifying herself as 'Ashpreet'. She requested him to help her or she would fail.
Eventually, she called him on WhatsApp and, over a period of time, he allegedly sent her photographs of maps of ships that he drew after visiting restricted areas in Mumbai port. He also chatted with one of her 'professors' whom he addressed as 'Sir'.
'She also gave him around Rs 15,000 to purchase things for his sister's children. In fact, his sister had a fight with the woman, asking her to leave her brother. However, by then he was smitten by her and had passed on enough sensitive details,' the official said.
The official said the private defence company in Navi Mumbai for which he worked, the terms and conditions specifically mentions that employees are not meant to share sensitive information they have access to because of the nature of their job. The accused was produced before the Thane court on Monday and his custody extended.
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