Journalist Rajeev Sharma passed sensitive defence information to Chinese intelligence officers during 2016 to 2018: Police
Sep 19, 2020
New Delhi [India], September 19 : Freelance journalist Rajeev Sharma, who was arrested by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police under the Official Secrets Act, was involved in passing sensitive defence and strategic information to Chinese intelligence officers during 2016 to 2018, police said.
Speaking to reporters here, Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Special Cell of Delhi Police, said, "Journalist Rajeev Sharma was involved in passing sensitive defence and strategic information to Chinese intelligence officers from 2016 to 2018. He used to meet them at several locations in different countries."
Divulging further details, he said transactions of Rs 40-45 lakh have taken place in the last one year.
"His two associates--a Chinese woman and Nepali man-- have a company in Mahipalpur from where they exported medicines to China. Money sent from China was given to agents here. As per probe, transactions of Rs 40-45 lakh have taken place in last one year," Kumar said.
"Rajeev Sharma has almost 40 years of experience as a journalist. In additional to his experience as a journalist in several news organisations in India, he has written articles for Chinese media agency Global Times as a freelance journalist," added Kumar.
Meanwhile, Delhi police in a statement said journalist Rajeev Sharma has disclosed his involvement in procurement of secret/sensitive information and further conveying the same to his Chinese handlers namely Michael and George, based in Kunming, China, through different digital channels.
"Journalist Rajeev Sharma further disclosed he was about to send these recovered secret documents to his handlers. In past also, he sent several documents in the form of reports to his handlers and got handsome remuneration for the same," the statement further said.
Sharma was produced before the court on September 15, which sent him to six-day police custody.
Delhi Police Special Cell said Sharma, a resident of Pitampura in New Delhi, was "found to be in possession of some defence-related classified documents".
The police said his bail application is listed for September 22.
