Army man arrested for spying not from EME

The army's Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (EME) Thursday clarified that the army man arrested by Hyderabad police on charges of espionage does not belong to the EME.

"In fact the JCO is from artillery and posted at 151 MC/MF detachment, in Secunderabad," a defence statement said.

The Central Crime Station (CCS), a wing of Hyderabad police, had Wednesday arrested Naik Subedar Patan Kumar Poddar for passing on military secrets to a Pakistani woman through social media. He was produced before a court, which sent him to judicial custody for 14 days.

The police had said that Poddar was from EME Unit, Secunderabad and presently attached to 151, MC/MF detachment, Railway Station, Secunderabad.

He was passing on sensitive information about strategic locations of army bases to the woman, who identified herself as Anushka Agarwal and came into contact with him on Facebook a year ago. The Pakistani honey-trapped him by reportedly sending him nude pictures.

Police said the army man was also in touch with her over phone and through e-mails and passed on information regarding deployment of some defence units.

According to police he was also actively involved in network marketing business for a company named 'Secured Life'.

He was booked under Official Secrets Act and also under Prize Chits Money Circulation Banning Act, 1977.

Police have sought his custody for further questioning in the case.

--Indo-Asia News Service

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