Retired IAF staff and woman arrested for Pakistan links

Our Correspondent

Tezpur: In a major counter-intelligence crackdown, Sonitpur Police have arrested a retired Indian Air Force staff member and several others in two separate cases involving alleged links with Pakistan, raising serious national security concerns.

Based on a reliable input, Sonitpur police arrested Kulendra Sarma, a resident of the Patia Chuburi area under Tezpur Sadar Police Station on Saturday on charges of maintaining links with a Pakistani intelligence agency. Sarma, who retired from the Indian Air Force in 2002 after serving as a Junior Warrant Officer, later worked in the Electronics Department of Tezpur University.

During the arrest, police seized a mobile phone and a laptop from the accused. Preliminary investigation suggests that he was allegedly involved in passing sensitive information related to the Indian Armed Forces to Pakistan.

Talking to The Sentinel, DSP Haricharan Bhumij said the accused would be produced before court and police would seek his remand. A case (No. 785/25) has been registered at Tezpur Sadar Police Station under sections 147, 148, 152, 238 and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Further interrogation is underway.

In another significant development, Sonitpur Police have uncovered Pakistan links in the Dubai money trail case involving Jutika Kalita, a resident of Barjhar village under  Tezpur  Sadar Police Station. She was arrested recently after large sums of money were traced to her bank accounts from Dubai.

During searches, police seized 44 ATM cards, 17 bank passbooks, cheque books and a passport, indicating the existence of an organised financial racket. Along with Jutika Kalita, three others Jitu Kalita, Simu Das and Abhijit Das were also arrested. All accused have been produced before court and remanded to custody.

Police stated that the case has been registered under provisions of the BNS and BNSS, involving charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, identity theft and cyber-enabled fraud. Investigators are also probing suspicious fund movements for possible links to terror financing, terming it a serious threat to national security.

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