Odisha man shares defence information with ISI, held

Amid threat of a possible terror attack, Odisha Police Friday arrested a man for allegedly sharing information about the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur in Balasore district with Pakistani spy agency ISI.

"Iswar Chandra Behera, a contractual videographer engaged in the ITR of Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) was arrested for sharing secret information about the defence related activities with an ISI agent in lieu of money," Asit Panigrahi, Deputy Inspector General (Eastern Range) of Police, informed media persons in Balasore.

Behera, a resident of Kantipur village near Baisinga in Mayurbhanj district, was employed as a cameraperson on contractual basis in 2007 and had been spying for Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) for 8-10 months.

"After intelligence inputs about his suspicious activities, the state intelligence agency and intelligence bureau put him under surveillance. During interrogation, he confessed that he had been passing on sensitive information about missile tests to the agent," Panigrahi said.

The DIG said Behera was in constant touch with his handler over phone and had met him at least 10 times during his trips to Kolkata.

"About Rs.50,000 had been transferred to his account in six phases. We found that money had been transferred to his account through internet banking from various places, including Abu Dhabi, Mumbai, Meerut, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar. Besides, money was transferred through money order," said Panigrahi.

The DIG said police were verifying whether he was acting alone or some others were associated in the spying. Police have seized two computer hard disks, two mobile handsets and a bank passbook from his possession.

A case has been registered under Section 120 B (criminal conspiracy) and 121 A (treason) against him at the Chandipur police station.