Hyderabad missile firm staffer held in Gujarat for 'passing secrets to Pak'

AHMEDABAD: An aeronautical engineer employed with a Hyderabad firm specialising in manufacturing missile and drone components was arrested from Bharuch in Gujarat on charges of allegedly spying for a Pakistani intelligence agency.
Pravin Mishra, a resident of Ankleshwar town in Bharuch district and originally from Muzaffarpur, Bihar, is accused of gathering confidential information about the Indian armed forces and defence-related research and development (R&D) firms and passing it on to Pakistan.
The case extends beyond Mishra, with officers and employees implicated in the criminal conspiracy. Military Intelligence had alerted CID about the potential involvement of current or retired armed forces personnel, those associated with missile system development, and employees of organisations like Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), in leaking confidential information.
Officials said Mishra's association with a Hyderabad firm involved in manufacturing missile and drone parts raised suspicions. It is alleged that Mishra divulged technical details about missiles and drones after being honey-trapped by someone using the fake identity of Garg and claiming to be an Indian woman.