Indian embassy employee shared secret military documents after being honey-trapped: UP ATS
Meerut, Feb 15: An employee of Indian embassy in Moscow, arrested recently in Uttar Pradesh for allegedly spying for Pakistan's ISI, was honey-trapped by a woman who befriended him on social media, the UP Anti-Terrorist Squad said.
Satendra Siwal, a resident of Shahmahiuddinpur village in Hapur, shared secret documents related to weapon systems of the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy including warplanes and submarines, said Rajeev Tyagi, ATS inspector in Meerut.
Siwal is currently in 10-day ATS remand till February 16.
"Siwal came in touch with the woman last year who had made an online profile in the name of Pooja Mehra. She honey-trapped him and enticed him to share secret documents with her for money," said Tyagi.
"Siwal has claimed that the documents he shared with the woman are still in his phone. The forensic examination of his phone and other gadgets used by him is being done," the ATS inspector added.
The ATS in its probe through electronic and physical surveillance found that he was involved in anti-India activities with the network of the ISI handlers.
The ATS officials also said that the woman's social media account was being handled by the Pakistan intelligence agency.
The Meerut unit of ATS arrested Siwal, who was working as the IBSA (India-based security assistant) in the Indian embassy in Moscow since 2021, on February 4 from Lucknow.
He was arrested after an FIR was registered against him at ATS police station, Lucknow, under Section 121A (waging war against the country) of the IPC and the Official Secrets Act, 1923.
During questioning, Siwal could not give satisfactory answers and "confessed" to his crime.
The ATS had earlier said that Siwal was providing important confidential information regarding the strategic activities of the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian military establishments for money.
The Ministry of External Affairs had said it was aware of Siwal's arrest and working with the investigative authorities in this case.
Meanwhile, Siwal's family members have left home in their native village in Hapur, and moved to some other place, police said.
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7 villages in Mysuru district compete for Rs 1 cr prize in central govt’s Model Solar Village scheme
Mysuru: Seven villages in Mysuru district have been selected as contestants to compete under the Central Government’s Model Solar Village initiative. The winning village will receive an incentive of Rs 1 crore from the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
According to a press release from the Mysuru division Engineer, Works and Maintenance, Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (CESC), cited by Deccan Herald on Friday, the competition will started on July 1, 2025 and will run until December 31, 2025. At the end of the evaluation period, the village that demonstrates the highest adoption and usage of renewable energy will be declared the winner.
The selection of the participating villages—Varkodu, Bilikere, Gandhanahalli, Saligrama, Tandavapura, Mooguru, and Bettadapura—was finalised at a district-level committee (DLC) meeting chaired by the Regional Commissioner of Mysuru.
During the competition, a range of renewable energy initiatives will be implemented through the respective grama panchayats. “They are: installation of rooftop solar power units under Prime Minister's Solar Rooftop Scheme for houses. Encouragement of rooftop solar installation, without subsidy for other consumers; promotion of solar irrigation pump sets under Prime Minister's Solar Rooftop Scheme for houses. Encouragement of rooftop solar installation, without subsidy for other consumers; promotion of solar irrigation pump sets under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan scheme; installation of solar power units on government buildings with funding through Public-Private Partnership, RCSCO or budget grants; and installation of solar power units for drinking water facilities and street lights," the press note states.
“In the end of the contest, the village that uses the maximum renewable energy will be declared as the ‘Model Solar Village’, based on an evaluation,” the press release added.
