Ex-IAF officer held in Assam over suspected espionage links with Pakistan

The accused, identified as Kulendra Sarma, was taken into custody from the Patia area of Tezpur following sustained surveillance and a preliminary investigation.

Sarma, a former Junior Warrant Officer, had served at the strategically significant Air Force Station in Tezpur before retiring in 2002.

Police sources said Sarma was allegedly in contact with individuals connected to a Pakistani spying agency and was suspected of sharing sensitive information.

During searches, investigators recovered suspicious material from his mobile phone and laptop, although some data is believed to have been deleted.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Haricharan Bhumij of Sonitpur district said that while the suspicion of Pakistani links appears strong, definitive conclusions would only be drawn after the investigation is completed.

Before retirement, Sarma was posted at the Tezpur airbase, which hosts key air assets, including a Sukhoi-30 fighter squadron.

After leaving the Air Force, he reportedly worked briefly at Tezpur University.

Police have registered a case against Sarma under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and further questioning is underway to ascertain the extent of the alleged information leak.

Separate case: Woman arrested over Pak links

In a related development earlier this month, Assam Police arrested a woman from Sonitpur district after detecting suspicious foreign-linked financial transactions and alleged connections with Pakistani operatives.

The woman, identified as Jyotika Kalita, was taken into custody on December 5 and later sent to judicial custody.

Police said she was purportedly married to a Pakistani national while working in Dubai, a claim that has reportedly been acknowledged by her family.

Along with Kalita, four others, including her brother, were also arrested in connection with the case.

Investigators said the initial probe revealed large-scale movement of foreign funds across multiple bank accounts linked to Kalita, pointing to suspected money laundering involving overseas sources.

Police described her Pakistani husband, Ramzan Muhammad, as a resident of a hostile nation.

According to officials, Kalita frequently travelled to Dubai for business and allegedly used a network of mule accounts to illegally transfer substantial sums of money.

She is also suspected of involvement in online fraud operations spanning countries such as Mauritius, Nepal and Bangladesh.

Police further claimed that she maintained direct links with Pakistani operatives based in the United Kingdom and the Middle East, who allegedly facilitated fund routing through mule account networks.

During the investigation, officers identified 17 bank accounts linked to Kalita, into which large amounts of money were reportedly deposited.

Authorities also seized 44 ATM cards and several cheque books as part of the ongoing probe.