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DRDO Cameraman Accused Of Passing Military Secrets To Pakistan's ISI

DRDO Cameraman Accused Of Passing Military Secrets To ISI
In this photo released by India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Indiaâs nuclear-capable missile Agni-V is test fired in Wheelarâs Island, off the coast of Odisha, India, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2013. India on Sunday successfully test-fired for the second time the missile that can strike the major Chinese cities of Beijing and Shanghai, officials said. Ravi Gupta, a spokesman for the Defence Research and Development Organisation, said the latest test of the the missile a step closer to being inducted into India's arsenal at some point in 2014 or 2015. (AP Photo/DRDO)
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In this photo released by India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Indiaâs nuclear-capable missile Agni-V is test fired in Wheelarâs Island, off the coast of Odisha, India, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2013. India on Sunday successfully test-fired for the second time the missile that can strike the major Chinese cities of Beijing and Shanghai, officials said. Ravi Gupta, a spokesman for the Defence Research and Development Organisation, said the latest test of the the missile a step closer to being inducted into India's arsenal at some point in 2014 or 2015. (AP Photo/DRDO)

The police arrested a 35-year-old man on Friday in Odisha, accusing him of passing military secrets to Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency.

Police said Ishwar Chandra Behera was passing on information about missile activities conducted at a unit of India's Defence Research & Development Organisation, where he worked as a cameraman.

"He was providing vital information related to missile tests and other military activities to an ISI agent for the past 8-10 months," Odisha's inspector general of police A.K Panigrahi told Reuters. "He confessed that he had met an (ISI) agent in Kolkata a number of times."

India accuses elements in Pakistan's army and ISI of shielding or working with militant groups, which Islambabad denies.

Tensions between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan, which are also at odds over the disputed region of Kashmir, have risen since Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called off peace talks in August. Troops on both sides have exchanged fire across the border in recent months.

Police said they found a substantial amount of money had been transferred to Behera's bank account from several places including Abu Dhabi and Mumbai. They are investigating if he was assisted by anyone else.

"We had information that his activities are suspicious and he should be watched ... He confessed he is in touch with the ISI agent and is passing on very vital information," Panigrahi said.

Reuters could not contact Behera, who is in custody.

India has stepped up security, especially in the capital New Delhi, in preparation for a three-day visit by U.S. President Barack Obama, starting on Sunday.

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