DRDO guest house manager arrested for spying for Pakistan’s ISI in Jaisalmer, was leaking missile secrets, movements of army officers

A contractual manager working at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Guest House near the Chandan Field Firing Range in Jaisalmer was arrested by Rajasthan’s CID Intelligence for allegedly spying for Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the ISI. The man, identified as Mahendra Prasad, is accused of sending secret and strategic information about India to Pakistan.

Dr. Vishnukant, Inspector General of Police, CID (Security) in Rajasthan, said that ahead of the state-level Independence Day celebrations, CID Intelligence has been keeping a close watch on possible anti-national activities by foreign agents operating in the state.

Who is the accused man?

The person arrested in the case of spying for ISI is named Mahendra Prasad. The 32-year-old man is a native of Palyun in Uttarakhand’s Almora. He was working as a contractual manager in one of the guesthouses of DRDO in Jaisalmer, located at the Chandan Field Firing Range.

Reportedly, he was also posted at the Pokhran Field Firing Range guest house, a high-security location regularly visited by top defence experts, scientists and senior military officers

Why was Mahendra Prasad arrested?

Dr. Vishnukant, IG of CID (Security), said that while monitoring anti-national activities ahead of Independence Day, they received a lead about Prasad. Acting on this information, he was arrested on Tuesday.

Prasad is accused of giving secret details to his handlers in Pakistan about the movements of DRDO scientists and Indian Army officers who visited the firing range for missile and weapons testing.

Rajasthan’s CID Intelligence has been investigating the matter. The man was allegedly sharing secret data about possible activities of the DRDO scientists and the Indian Army. This comprised their visits and movements to the Chandan Field Firing Range for missile and weapon testing.

After these findings, the suspect was questioned jointly by several intelligence agencies at the Central Interrogation Centre in Jaipur. A technical check of his mobile phone confirmed that he had been sharing sensitive information about the DRDO and the Indian Army with handlers in Pakistan.

Following this, a case was registered against Mahendra Prasad, 32, son of Chaniram, on August 12 under the Official Secrets Act, 1923. He was arrested by Rajasthan CID Intelligence on charges of spying.

Espionage-related arrests after Operation Sindoor

This arrest is part of a larger crackdown on spying activities in the region.

Just a few days earlier, another suspected Pakistani spy, Shakoor Khan, a government employee with strong political connections, was arrested in Jaisalmer. Investigators said they recovered “important evidence of espionage” from his mobile phone.

Indian authorities launched a nationwide drive against suspected Pakistani spies following the Pahalgam terror attack and recent military tensions between the two countries. In May this year, over 15 people were arrested from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and other states for allegedly spying for Pakistan and passing sensitive Indian military information to Pakistani handlers.

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