Indian defence agency’s staffer held over alleged espionage for ISI

Police in India’s Rajasthan state have arrested Mahendra Prasad, 32, manager of a guesthouse operated by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), on charges of spying for Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

According to officials, Prasad, a resident of Uttarakhand, was allegedly passing sensitive information to Pakistani handlers about DRDO scientists and Indian Army personnel visiting the Chandan Field Firing Range in Jaisalmer for missile and weapons testing.

Inspector General of the Rajasthan Police CID, Dr Vishnu Kant, said Prasad had been under surveillance for a week as part of heightened security ahead of India’s Independence Day on August 15.

He was detained on suspicion of espionage, interrogated at the Central Interrogation Centre in Jaipur, and formally arrested after investigators examined his phone records.

Authorities claim Prasad maintained constant contact with his Pakistani handlers through social media.

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He is expected to be presented before a court today, where police will seek his physical remand. A case has been registered under India’s Official Secrets Act and other espionage-related provisions.

The Chandan Field Firing Range, located in the desert near the Pakistan-India border, is a key testing ground for India’s defence projects.

Visiting scientists, experts, and military officers often stay at the DRDO guesthouse managed by Prasad. The site is also close to the Pokhran Field Firing Range and other active military zones, making it a high-security area.