Who Is Deepraj Chandra? BEL Engineer Caught Sharing Classified Info with Pakistani Operatives

In a significant breach of national security, a senior engineer with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) in Bengaluru has been caught allegedly passing on critical defense information to Pakistani operatives in return for Bitcoin. The 36-year-old, identified as Deepraj Chandra from Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad, was apprehended during a collaborative effort by central, state, and defense intelligence agencies. Chandran held the position of Senior Engineer at the Product Development and Innovation Centre (PDIC) at BEL, where he is believed to have divulged sensitive details including production systems, office layouts, and information on senior officials.

Deepraj Chandra's method of sharing the classified information was cunning, utilising encrypted communication channels such as Email, WhatsApp, and Telegram to connect with his contacts in Pakistan. To avoid detection, he would create a secret email account, draft emails containing the sensitive information, and share the login details with the Pakistani operatives, allowing them to access the drafts without direct transmission of the emails. This sophisticated method of espionage has raised alarms over the extent of the security breach.

The investigation into Deepraj Chandra's activities has revealed that he may have been leaking defense-related information for a considerable time, posing a severe threat to national security. Intelligence agencies are meticulously combing through digital transactions and communication logs to ascertain the full scope of the breach. Interrogation of the accused is underway as officials aim to reconstruct the timeline of events and understand the depth of Deepraj Chandra's espionage activities.

In a related incident, the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) in Uttar Pradesh made another arrest linked to espionage for Pakistan. Kumar Vikas, who worked as a Junior Works Manager at the Kanpur Ordnance Factory, was detained on charges of leaking sensitive data to a Pakistani intelligence agent. Vikas had reportedly established contact with the agent through Facebook, who masqueraded as an employee of Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL). To maintain secrecy, they communicated through the Ludo app, highlighting the evolving methods used by spies to exchange information.