DRDO Guest House Manager Arrested in Rajasthan for Alleged Espionage for ISI

Rajasthan’s CID Intelligence on Tuesday arrested a contractual manager at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Guest House near the Chandan Field Firing Range in Jaisalmer for allegedly spying for Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the ISI.

The accused, Mahendra Prasad, 32, a resident of Palyun in Uttarakhand’s Almora district, is accused of passing confidential and strategic information across the border. He is set to be produced in court on Wednesday and will be remanded for further interrogation.

Inspector General of Police (CID-Security) Dr. Vishnukant said the arrest followed heightened surveillance ahead of the Independence Day celebrations, with intelligence teams monitoring suspected anti-national activities in the state. Investigators found Prasad had been communicating with Pakistani intelligence operatives via social media.

He allegedly provided details on the movements of DRDO scientists and Indian Army officers visiting the firing range for missile and weapons testing. A technical examination of his mobile phone confirmed the transfer of sensitive information to Pakistani handlers.

Prasad was interrogated by multiple agencies at the Central Interrogation Centre in Jaipur before being booked under the Official Secrets Act, 1923, on August 12.