Overview
- A serving Indian Air Force Wing Commander was arrested at the end of May and has been remanded to judicial custody in Tihar after being charged under the Official Secrets Act; Delhi Police filed a chargesheet in the case on July 30.
- The IAF’s intelligence wing placed the officer under surveillance and handed evidence to the Delhi Police special cell, which led to the May arrest and the joint investigation with central agencies.
- Police allege the officer was 'honey‑trapped' on social media by a woman who gained his trust while he faced personal difficulties and then sought photos, videos and details about troop movements and deployments.
- Investigators say the woman instructed the officer to install a specific app on a colleague’s phone that is suspected to be spyware or remote‑access malware, and forensic teams are tracing the full digital trail and examining devices and apps.
- Authorities are probing whether handlers based in Pakistan directed the operation, are working to identify any wider network, and will use the case to tighten counterintelligence checks and assess how much sensitive material was compromised.