DRDO Guest House Manager Arrested in Rajasthan for Allegedly Spying for Pakistan’s ISI

Jaisalmer: Rajasthan’s CID Intelligence has arrested Mahendra Prasad, a contractual manager at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Guest House near the Chandan Field Firing Range, on charges of espionage for Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

Prasad, a resident of Palyun in Almora district, Uttarakhand, is accused of leaking sensitive defence information — including the movement of DRDO scientists and Indian Army officers engaged in missile and weapons trials — to handlers across the border.

Inspector General of Police (Security) Dr. Vishnukant said the arrest came after intensified surveillance ahead of Independence Day to detect “anti-national and subversive activities” in the state. During monitoring, intelligence officials reportedly found Prasad in contact with Pakistani operatives via social media.

The suspect was detained and jointly interrogated by multiple intelligence agencies at the Central Interrogation Centre in Jaipur. A forensic examination of his mobile phone allegedly confirmed that he had been transmitting classified details related to DRDO activities and army operations.

He has been charged under the Official Secrets Act, 1923, and will be produced in court on Wednesday, where investigators are expected to seek his remand for further questioning.

The DRDO Guest House in Jaisalmer is a strategic facility that frequently hosts scientists and defence experts working on missile and weapon trials at the nearby Pokhran Field Firing Range. The area is a high-security zone, surrounded by active operational sites of the Indian Army and Air Force.