Overview

• Mahendra Prasad was detained in early August near the Chandan DRDO guesthouse at Pokhran firing range on confirmed espionage charges for leaking data on weapon trials and troop movements.
• Investigators seized two mobile phones and found PDF documents listing guest stays that he allegedly sent over five years, substantiating the espionage allegations.
• Prasad’s tenure since 2018 gave him access to high-ranking DRDO scientists and military officers, highlighting vulnerabilities at the border-adjacent facility.
• Security agencies had been monitoring him after intercepting calls between his number and contacts in Pakistan, prompting his arrest on August 4–5.
• This arrest follows at least five similar detentions in Rajasthan since March, with authorities probing whether Prasad was linked to a broader spy network.