In a major breach of national security, Maharashtra’s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested a 27-year-old junior defence contractor for allegedly leaking sensitive information about Indian Navy warships and submarines to suspected Pakistani intelligence agents. The accused, Ravindra Muralidhar Verma, was nabbed by the Thane unit of the ATS on Wednesday after months of surveillance, according to The Economic Times.
Verma, an employee in the electrical division of Mumbai-based Krasni Defence Technology Pvt. Ltd., had access to high-security naval installations including the Naval Dockyard, Mazagon Dock, and Indian Coast Guard facilities. His role granted him routine entry to restricted defence sites across Maharashtra.
According to ATS officials, Verma fell into an espionage trap in 2024 after receiving Facebook friend requests from accounts named “Payal Sharma” and “Ishpreet”—aliases suspected to be used by Pakistani intelligence operatives. Claiming to be Indian women conducting naval research, the profiles established emotional rapport with Verma before shifting the conversation to WhatsApp.
“He was aware he was sharing restricted data in exchange for emotional intimacy and money,” a senior ATS official said. Investigators revealed that Verma sent sketches, diagrams, and audio messages detailing ship positions and operational details—often reconstructed from memory to bypass strict no-phone protocols inside naval premises.
A chilling audio clip dated 11 March 2025, recovered from his phone, shows Verma reporting ship inspections and confirming he had jotted down details in a diary for his handler and a mysterious figure referred to only as “Sir.” The next day, he allegedly photographed a page listing 14 warships and their locations—five of which were verified by the Indian Navy to be accurate and classified.
The ATS has charged Verma under the Official Secrets Act, 1923, and Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. His foreign contacts—”Priti Jaiswal” and the unnamed “Sir”—have also been booked. Authorities believe Verma may have been coerced or blackmailed after initial communication, and are probing international financial transactions linked to his accounts.
Verma’s mother claims her son was manipulated. “He told me he wanted to delete Facebook because of bad people online,” she said. “He is my only support.”
Forensic analysis has uncovered months of archived chats, images, and videos exchanged with handlers posing as “college friends.” The ATS is also investigating if others at the defence firm may have been similarly compromised.
Verma has been remanded in ATS custody until Monday, as investigators work to trace the full extent of the espionage network. Officials say more arrests could follow.