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By Divyesh Singh: The scientist from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), who was arrested by Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on charges of espionage, had met some unidentified women at the DRDO guest house, according to the ATS. Pradeep Kurulkar was arrested for passing confidential information to a Pakistani Intelligence Operative (PIO).
ATS officials came to know that Pradeep Kurulkar, who worked as the laboratory director at DRDO in one of the confidential research wings of the organisation, had used the DRDO guest house in Pune for meeting some women but their identity is yet to be ascertained.
Information is being sought regarding these meetings and the DRDO guest house entries in the register. ATS sources revealed that Kurulkar has to be interrogated to find out details of the women who had been invited by him to the guest house, where he met them on some occassions.
ATS TO PROBE INDIAN NUMBER USED BY PAK AGENT
A source from Maharashtra ATS also revealed that Kurulkar will be interrogated about the sharing of information that had happened between him and the Pakistani agent, who was allegedly using an Indian mobile number. ATS officials will be getting details of the number.
It has been found that Kurulkar had also received a message from the number, which read ‘Why have you blocked me?’ The two mobile phones of Kurulkar have been seized and forensic analysis is being conducted to extract the data from the two phones to check whether any confidential information was shared using the handsets.
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ATS officials, in their remand note, stated that Kurulkar being in touch with a PIO was found by the DRDO officials, after which a standing committee was set up to investigate him and his alleged activities.
WHAT WAS FOUND DURING THE INVESTIGATION?
After the standing committee of the DRDO submitted its report, ATS was informed and all the electronic gadgets of Kurulkar were handed over for further investigation. The standing committee report and forensic analysis conducted by the DRDO standing committee found that Kurulkar was in touch with the Pakistani agent through WhatsApp, voice calls, video calls and he misused his position and by allegedly providing confidential information to the Pakistani agent.
ATS officials will further investigate and retrieve bank details of Kurulkar. Information regarding Kurulkar’s government passport is being sought to investigate which countries he had visited, whom did he meet in those countries and for what purpose. Forensic analysis of electronic gadgets will be done to extract data in those gadgets.
They will also be probing if someone else had helped Kurulkar in passing confidential information to the Pakistani operative or any another enemy country.
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(with inputs from Rahul Gaikwad)
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