Journalist Vivek Raghuvanshi and Ashish Pathak, former Navy commander have been arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the leak of sensitive military information.
What are the cases against Journalist Vivek Raghuvanshi and ex0Navy officer Ashish Pathak?
Vivek Raghuvanshi and Ashish Pathak are arrested in a case of alleged espionage. FIR has been registered against and searches were carried out at the freelance journalist Raghuvanshi’s premises.
Pathak's precise part in the case is still unknown according to the agency.
Former Navy commander Ashish Pathak and journalist Vivek Raghuvanshi are purportedly accused of illegally gathering sensitive material about defence projects, purchases and future plans and passing it on to foreign intelligence services in exchange for money, according to the central investigation agency, according to a PTI report.
“The journalist was questioned on Tuesday evening and was taken into custody under Official Secrets Act and criminal conspiracy along with...Pathak. We are investigating a larger conspiracy in the matter,” said an officer, who also requested anonymity.
Following Tuesday's raids connected to the investigation into the leaks, which officials said could affect India's relations with specific countries, Raghuvanshi and Pathak were detained in accordance with the Official Secrets Act. Both have been booked under Section 3 (spying) of the Official Secrets Act and with Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.
On the website of a US-based portal on defence and strategic issues, Raghuvanshi is named as an India correspondent. The CBI questioned those closest to him and searched 12 locations in Delhi, Noida, Gurugram and Jaipur that were connected to him.
They claimed that Raghuvanshi was beginning to pose a threat to national security and that as a result of his actions, bilateral ties with friendly nations were also strained.
According to the sources, the CBI has seized vast quantities of digital recordings and other papers related to this investigation.
(Also Read: DK Shivakumar vs Siddaramaiah: Karnataka Congress chief ‘snubbed’ for CM post? Know who is in the lead)
