How an Indian Navy personnel addicted to online gaming was honey-trapped by Pak's ‘Priya Sharma' during Operation Sindoor

Time of India

6 days ago

In a major security breach, a clerk posted at the Indian Navy headquarters in Delhi was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly passing confidential military information to Pakistan during
Operation Sindoor
. The arrest was made by the Intelligence Wing of Rajasthan Police following a long surveillance operation.
The accused, Vishal Yadav, is a civilian upper division clerk working at the Directorate of Dockyard in Nausena Bhawan. He is a resident of Punsika village in Rewari, Haryana.
Inspector General of Police (CID Security), Vishnukant Gupta, confirmed that Yadav had been on the radar of investigators tracking espionage networks linked to Pakistan. "The CID Intelligence unit of Rajasthan was constantly monitoring the espionage activities carried out by Pakistani intelligence agencies," Gupta told NDTV.
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Undercover handler used social media to extract naval intelligence
Yadav was allegedly in regular online contact with a Pakistani handler using the name 'Priya Sharma'. Officials say the woman engaged him through various social media platforms and built a relationship over time, ultimately luring him into sharing sensitive naval data in exchange for money.
'She was paying him money to extract confidential information of strategic importance,' Gupta said.
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Evidence from Yadav's phone showed chat records and document transfers that, according to officials, clearly pointed to espionage. Much of the data reportedly related to the recently concluded Operation Sindoor.
Gaming addiction and debt made him vulnerable
Investigators say Yadav's motive was financial. He was addicted to online gaming and had accumulated heavy debts. In an attempt to cover his losses, he started leaking documents to the Pakistani handler.
Authorities discovered that payments were made through both conventional banking channels and cryptocurrency, particularly USDT. This aspect of the case has raised fresh concerns about the use of digital currencies in covert operations.
Espionage during a sensitive national operation
Officials confirmed that Vishal Yadav transmitted confidential material during Operation Sindoor, India's military response to the 22 April terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people. This breach has triggered alarm due to the strategic nature of the operation and the potential scale of information exposed.
"His activities came to light as we were maintaining surveillance on people linked to Pakistani networks," Gupta added.
Joint interrogation underway in Jaipur
Yadav is currently being held at the Central Interrogation Centre in Jaipur. He is being questioned by multiple intelligence agencies, including national and military units. Authorities are working to establish how much information was leaked and whether others were involved.
This is not an isolated case. The use of social media and online communication to infiltrate sensitive positions has been a growing concern for security agencies.
In response to the incident, security officials have issued a public appeal urging citizens to remain alert on social media. The advisory encourages users to report suspicious online activity or unfamiliar contacts without delay.