The Big Breach

The arrest of a top DRDO scientist in a honey trapping case raises troubling questions

- SANJIB KR BARUAH AND DNYANESH JATHAR

There is a palpable sense of disquiet and unease in the upper echelons of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). On May 3, the Maharashtra Anti-Terror Squad arrested top DRDO scientist Pradeep Kurulkar on charges of leaking sensitive information to a Pakistani intelligence operative. Kurulkar’s arrest has come as a jolt to the 5,000-odd DRDO scientists familiar with the deep secrets of the Indian military’s capabilities, weapons and equipment systems.

When he was arrested, Kurulkar, 59, was a top scientist holding a diplomatic passport. He was allegedly honey-trapped by a woman whom he had befriended on social media in September last year. Even as security agencies press on with the investigation, there are concerns about how deep the security breach is, and the nature and volume of the data that has been compromised. Both the defence ministry and the DRDO have declined to comment on the matter.

The focal point of the probe is Kurulkar himself. He holds a doctorate in electrical engineering, and has been with the DRDO since 1988. He is a Grade-H scientist. In DRDO, Grade-H has two categories—OS (outstanding scientist) and DS (distinguished scientist). Kurulkar was Grade-H (OS), which is equivalent to the rank of additional secretary in the Union government.

“We have never worked together,” said a former senior DRDO official when asked about Kurulkar. “But, undoubtedly, Kurulkar is from the top layer of the DRDO as he was a Grade-H (OS) scientist. By virtue of having served over decades across several verticals and specific areas, he would be having a unique understanding of the entire organisation.”