Suspected — Leak of details on deployment in Kargil

NEW DELHI, JUNE 3: Investigations into the espionage case have taken a new twist with intelligence agencies probing the possibility of leakage of national security documents relating to the deployment of army in Kargil and Siachen by those alleged to be part of an espionage racket.

Efforts are also being made to identify the “conduit” who reportedly has passed on documents to Ruchi Singh, a freelance journalist alleged to be the kingpin of the racket. Singh, who was arrested a few days ago, is alleged to have smuggled them to Nepal for further delivery to the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI). Intelligence agencies and the police are suspecting that there could be a middleman between Ruchi Singh and two others — Suvajit Yadav, an armyman who was arrested last week and a retired Naval officerwho allegedly supplied documents to her on a “regular basis”. The reason for such a suspicion is that the Army Headquarters is a high-security building where every person is thoroughly checked at the time of entering and leaving. The agencies are also investigating the reasons which prompted defence officials to be a part of such a racket. The monetary background of those who have been arrested in the racket so far is also being looked into.

Inquiries are also being made to find out the names of the officials who were instrumental in the recruitment and deployment of defence officials to sensitive posts, sources said. In a related development, the agencies have dispatched special investigating teams to Jainagar, Ruchi Singh’s village located at the Indo-Nepal border. Sources said her paternal uncle still lives there.

Investigations have also been initiated in Nepal to find out more about M. Shah, Ruchi Singh’s “husband” who allegedly passed on the documents to the ISI.