Arrested DRDO Scientist Called Pakistani Spy 'Babe', Revealed Missile Secrets To 'Zara Dasgupta'

Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of the Maharashtra police has filed a chargesheet against Pradeep Kurulkar, a former top Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) scientist who was arrested on espionage charges in May.

According to the ATS chargesheet, Kurulkar, the former Director of Research & Development Establishment, a premier Systems Engineering Laboratory of DRDO in Pune, was in regular touch with a Pakistani spy he knew as 'Zara Dasgupta'.

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In touch with Pak spy since June 2022

The ATS said that the duo had been in touch with each other since June 2022 and used WhatsApp as well as voice and video calls.

The Pakistani handler, who introduced herself as Zara Dasgupta' claimed to be a software engineer based in the UK and befriended him by sending obscene messages and videos.

Classified info, personal details and more

To win over his girlfriend's trust, 59-year-old Kurulkar happily gave away whatever information she sought.

This includes classified and sensitive information regarding the Brahmos Launcher, Drone, UCV, Agni Missile Launcher and Military Bridging System, among other things.

He chatted with her about various projects, including surface-to-air missiles (SAM), drones, Brahmos, Agni Missile Launchers, and UCV.

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About the Agni-6 launcher, he told Zara, "The launcher is my design babe," the chargesheet stated.

Spy got malware installed on his phone

The chat records also showed that he shared his personal and official schedules and locations with her despite knowing he was not supposed to share them with anyone.

Zara even shared her email ID and password with the senior scientist and made him download two apps on his phone, which turned out to be malware.

Too late to realise

While the two were in regular touch with each other through WhatsApp till December 2022, it is suspected that Kurulkar may have later realised that he had been tricked.

In February 2023, Kurulkar had blocked Zara's number, but he soon received a WhatsApp message from another unknown Indian number, asking, 'Why you blocked my number?'

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By then, it was too late, and the DRDO had initiated an internal probe after his activities were found to be suspicious.

An otherwise impressive DRDO career

Kurulkar, who has been working with the DRDO since 1988, has played a major role in some of the key projects of the agency, including the design, development, and delivery of a number of military engineering systems and equipment, such as the hyperbaric chamber, mobile power supply, and high-pressure pneumatic systems, as well as missile launchers for Programme AD, MRSAM, Nirbhay subsonic cruise missile system, Prahar, QRSAM, and XRSAM.

He was arrested on May 3 under the Official Secrets Act 1923 and other relevant sections based on a complaint by the DRDO.

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