Army man held for passing military secrets to Pakistani woman

An army officer was Wednesday arrested here on charges of passing on military secrets to a Pakistani woman through social media, police said.

Police in liaison with military authorities arrested Patan Kumar Poddar, Naik Subedar of the EME Unit in Secunderabad, and produced him in a court which sent him to judicial custody for 14 days.

The unidentified woman was in contact with Poddar through mobile phone, social networking sites and also through email.

Poddar shared information with regard to strategic locations of army bases. He also shared information with regard to deployment of some defence units, police said.

Poddar spoke with various army personnel of various locations and gathered information with regard to location of artillery regiments, commands, corps, division headquarters and brigades, police said.

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

Police booked him under the Official Secrets Act and also under the Prize Chits Money Circulation Banning Act, 1977.

Efforts are on to identify others involved in the case.