Arrested journalist Rajeev Sharma was passing info on India's border strategy to Chinese intelligence: Police

The Delhi Police on September 19 said it has arrested a Chinese woman and her Nepalese associate, and claimed that they were paying huge amounts of money to freelance journalist Rajeev Sharma for allegedly passing sensitive information to "Chinese intelligence".

"Special Cell has arrested a freelance journalist, Rajeev Sharma, for passing sensitive information to Chinese intelligence. One Chinese lady and her Nepalese associate have also been arrested for paying him large amounts of money routed through shell companies. Chinese intelligence tasked the journalist for conveying sensitive information in lieu of large amounts of money.

At a press conference, Special Cell DCP Sanjeev Kumar Yadav said that police are investigating what information Sharma had allegedly passed on to Chinese intelligence officers through his social media accounts and email ID.

Police said that the 61-year-old journalist, who has been booked under Official Secrets Act, had also been asked by Chinese intelligence officers to provide information related to Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.

"A secret input was recently received from an intelligence agency that Rajeev Sharma is having links with foreign intelligence officer and he has been receiving funds from his handler through illegal means...for conveying sensitive information which concerns national security and foreign relations," police said.

Sharma was allegedly contacted by Chinese intelligence officer Michael in 2016 and the scribe shared sensitive information with him till 2018, the DCP said.

He came in contact with Michael through a social media platform and later, also visited China where lucrative offers were made, the police officer said, adding Sharma allegedly started giving sensitive defence information to Chinese intelligence.

Michael had also borne all expenses on Sharma's visit to China, police claimed.

"During the period from 2010 to 2014, Sharma wrote a weekly column for Global Times, widely known as a mouthpiece of the Chinese government."

"Huge number of mobile phones, laptops and other incriminating/sensitive material have been recovered," the police said.

Sharma, a resident of Pitampura, has been arrested by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police.

During the press conference, police said that as Sharma had an accreditation card of Press Information Bureau (PIB), he had easy access to ministries.

"Sharma was continuously giving information to Chinese intelligence about India-China border dispute, current border problem with China, Army's deployment and procurement, and Indian government's border strategy," Yadav said.