DRDO scientist may have shared critical info in person also

Pradeep Kurulkar (wearing mask) was produced before Pune court on May 9

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), which is investigating the honey-trapping of DRDO scientist Pradeep Kurulkar, suspects that the disgraced official shared crucial information through alternative channels in exchange for favours. ATS officials are scrutinising Kurulkar's official foreign visits and suspect that he may have encountered the Pakistani woman who was trying to extract classified information from him via WhatsApp. Kurulkar engaged in adventurous activities such as trekking while on these foreign visits.

According to reliable sources, Kurulkar recently made six trips to countries - China, South Africa, Kenya, Mauritius, Malaysia and Nepal - using his diplomatic passport. On one or two occasions, he travelled with his family, duly informing his department about the official nature of these visits. The ATS has learnt that Kurulkar engaged in adventurous activities that were not part of his official itinerary.

‘Can't deny possibilities'

According to sources, this has raised suspicions among officials that he may have met the woman with whom he was chatting on WhatsApp, as his involvement with her was significant and he expressed a desire to have physical relations with her. However, it is important to note that the investigation is still in its preliminary stages, and detailed information regarding these visits is yet to be obtained.

Also Read: DRDO scientist fell for her despite taking anti-honey trap class

Pradeep Kurulkar

The ATS officer emphasised that every aspect is being thoroughly verified before drawing any conclusions. The ATS is currently investigating the possibility of espionage in the case involving Kurulkar, as they have discovered that he willingly shared information without being blackmailed by the suspected woman associated with the Pakistani intelligence operative (PIO). "At this stage, we cannot deny the possibilities, as we are awaiting additional forensic reports to establish [if he shared information via other modes besides WhatsApp]," stated an officer.

Courtroom scenes

On Monday, the ATS received a report from forensic experts who examined Kurulkar's mobile phone, which revealed that confidential data related to the DRDO project he was involved in was shared with the enemy. As a result, Kurulkar was presented before the Pune sessions court, and his custody was extended for an additional day. The court deemed the custody necessary for further interrogation.

Kurulkar's lawyer Adv Rhishikesh R Ganu, stated before the court, "The ATS has been seeking his custody repeatedly on similar grounds, and they have had his phone since February, so they could have confronted him with any evidence they desired."

During the proceedings, the court inquired about an iPhone seized in the case, which belonged to another person and asked how it was connected with Kurulkar. The investigating officer clarified that the phone belonged to a corporal associated with the Indian Air Force, recruited under the sports quota. The officer revealed the corporal's name in the courtroom and stated that he had also been found engaging in conversations with the woman Kurulkar had been communicating with.

Witness in the case

The authorities further mentioned that the corporal, who is now a witness in the case, had provided the WhatsApp OTP of an Indian number to the suspected Pakistani spy, which was subsequently used to send a message to Kurulkar, asking him why he had blocked her. It was in February of this year that Kurulkar had blocked the number of the woman, who approached him masquerading as an admirer and a beautiful Indian girl using a London number that was traced back to a Pakistani IP address.

"While examining the Indian number, we discovered the connection to the Air Force corporal, and although we don't believe he shared any significant details due to his low rank and limited knowledge, he was approached by the woman after she noticed his profile on Facebook, where he had posted pictures related to aircraft, implying that he worked for the Indian Air Force," explained an officer familiar with the investigation.

On Monday, it was brought to the court's attention that the statement of the corporal was recorded under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), and a copy was presented to the court. After reviewing the statement, the magistrate stated that they did not observe anything significant to establish a direct connection between the two individuals. However, the investigating officer informed the court that the links between the parties are currently under investigation. Consequently, the court decided to extend the custody of the accused for another day.

Six
No of suspicious foreign trips Kurulkar undertook using his diplomatic passport

15 May
Day ATS received forensic experts' report