UP ATS arrests Kanpur ordnance factory employee for leaking defence secrets to Pakistani spy via social media

Kumar Vikas, a junior works manager at the Kanpur Ordnance Factory, has been arrested for allegedly leaking highly sensitive defense information to a suspected Pakistani intelligence operative.

The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) on Wednesday arrested Kumar Vikas, a junior works manager at the Kanpur Ordnance Factory, for allegedly leaking highly sensitive defense information to a suspected Pakistani intelligence operative. The arrest comes just days after ATS detained Ravindra Kumar, an employee at the Ordnance Factory in Hazratpur, Firozabad, on similar charges, exposing yet another digital-age honeytrap operation.

Both men were reportedly in contact with an individual operating under the alias Neha Sharma, believed to be a fake identity used by a Pakistani intelligence handler.

According to Additional Director General (ADG) of Police, ATS, Nilabja Chaudhary, Kumar Vikas came into contact with Neha Sharma on Facebook in January 2025. Posing as an employee of Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), she manipulated Vikas into trust, eventually taking their conversations to WhatsApp.

"Upon investigation, ATS identified Kumar Vikas, a resident of Kanpur Dehat district, currently residing at C-131 New Highwacity, Naramau, under Bithoor police station, Kanpur Nagar," stated Chaudhary.

Digital Trap: Facebook & Ludo Used in Spy Operation

Vikas allegedly used the popular mobile game Ludo to covertly communicate with the suspected spy. Lured by financial incentives, he is accused of handing over highly classified documents, including equipment specifications, ammunition production data, employee attendance sheets, machine layouts, and production-related charts from the Kanpur Ordnance Factory.

Authorities fear that the leaked intelligence could severely jeopardize India's sovereignty and security, potentially offering adversaries crucial insights into the nation's defense infrastructure.

An FIR has been registered at the ATS police station in Lucknow under Section 148 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 3/4/5 of the Official Secrets Act.