Maharashtra: How ISI milked secrets from smitten scientist

Illustration/Uday Mohite

This beautiful Indian girl from London is a great admirer." Just this one line was enough for Pradeep Kurulkar, the DRDO scientist arrested by the Maharashtra ATS, to allegedly start spilling top-secret information to an enemy agent. Unlike the usual honey trap, the Pakistanis did not even have to blackmail Kurulkar. The 59-year-old was so besotted that he kept volunteering classified info in exchange for nudes.

The Pakistani woman had messaged Kurulkar from a UK phone number in an ruse to extract details of the project that the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) scientist was associated with, which included the Brahmos missile. The duo's interactions continued until February, when military intelligence alerted the DRDO, which then initiated an inquiry against him.

Unlikely message

According to sources, Kurulkar received the message: "This beautiful Indian girl from London is a great admirer of the work you're doing for India" sometime in June or July of last year. Kurulkar reportedly told the agency that he was unaware that the woman was from Pakistan and that he shared information with her because he was feeling lonely at the age of 59. He believed that the woman was genuinely interested in his work and was flattered by her admiration. Kurulkar apparently thought that by exchanging information with her, he could educate her, and in return, engage in sexting with her.

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Pradeep Kurulkar at the Pune sessions court on Tuesday

Officials said that the information shared by Kurulkar was not very specific, but certain messages have been deleted. They added that they are attempting to verify whether he had shared any specific information so that preventive measures can be taken by alerting the DRDO.

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Flattery works

According to the ATS, Kurulkar was sexually obsessed and was flattered by the woman. "The woman had professed to be a proud Indian and had expressed a great deal of admiration for Kurulkar's work for the country after reading his profile. She had also expressed hatred for Pakistan and had claimed that India would emerge victorious over its neighbour," an ATS official said requesting anonymity.

A few days after their initial chat, Kurulkar began asking the woman for her pictures, and she sent him a photo of herself covering her breasts. He then asked for a full picture, which she sent without revealing her identity. There are chat records in which Kurulkar sought pictures of her genitalia, expressing his desire to have sex. They both agreed to engage via audio and video calls on WhatsApp. Sources also reported that during a video call, the woman did not show her face, but was naked and encouraged Kurulkar to pleasure himself.

"Hundreds of such calls took place, but the shocking part is that Kurulkar was never threatened and he kept sharing information voluntarily while the woman continued to send him pictures of herself in the nude. Taking advantage of his loneliness, she made him talk until late in the night," a source said.

Sources suggest that a month after the initial chat, the woman began seeking information from Kurulkar by playing on his emotions and psychology. The woman allegedly claimed to be like his student and girlfriend and requested that Kurulkar educate her about his work, which would help her explore the field and work for the betterment of the country.

Kurulkar agreed to her request, and she then proceeded to ask him about the Brahmos missile, its functioning and how many India currently possesses. "The information he shared pertained to the number of missiles India has and what advanced technology they are using to upgrade them. Some basic information is also available on the internet, and thus far we haven't seen anything specific about the Brahmos missile being shared," an officer said. Sources have said that apart from Brahmos, Kurulkar shared details about Agni and some anti-satellite missiles.

‘Not blackmailed'

Officials discovered that Kurulkar was not blackmailed and that he willingly shared information. The woman, who was reportedly handled by a Pakistan Intelligence Operative (PIO), identified herself as Zara Das Gupta to Kurulkar and claimed to be 30. They were apparently planning to enter a long-term relationship. Kurulkar had planned to go to Russia last year on an official visit. However, the trip was cancelled, and in a chat, he told the woman that he was coming to London from Russia but never actually visited, according to records.

The woman was also planning to visit India this year but never arrived, opting instead to send explicit pictures and perform acts in the nude on video calls in an effort to extract information. Sources have suggested that Kurulkar was so infatuated with the woman that he was looking to pursue a physical relationship with her. Had the intelligence agencies not intervened, he may have even planned to meet her in another country. The women used to send patriotic messages to Kurulkar and abuse Pakistan to gain the senior scientist's confidence.

How plot was foiled

The +44 number, which was used to get in touch with Kurulkar had a Pakistani IP address. An intelligence officer who keeps track of suspicious IP addresses alerted the DRDO, and their vigilance team conducted a probe before the plaint was made to the ATS. The national security adviser and the PM's office were also briefed about the development.

As per the defence lawyer, Rhishikesh R Ganu, in the first week of February, the government of India initiated an enquiry against Kurulkar, and his devices were seized on February 24. On April 18, the devices were sent to the Maharashtra ATS. From April 19 to April 24, the senior scientist was summoned by the agency to record his statement. On May 2, the complaint was filed by DRDO and the FIR was registered and Kurulkar was arrested the following day.

30
Woman's purported age