A retired Indian Air Force (IAF) officer has been arrested in Assam on charges of allegedly spying for Pakistan, triggering serious concerns over national security. The arrest was made late Friday night following sustained surveillance and a preliminary investigation by Assam Police.
The accused has been identified as Kulendra Sarma, a resident of the Patia locality in Tezpur. According to police officials, Sarma was taken into custody after investigators found evidence suggesting he was in contact with individuals linked to a Pakistani espionage network.
Police sources said Sarma was allegedly sharing sensitive information with handlers connected to a foreign spying agency. During searches, investigators seized his mobile phone and laptop, from which several suspicious materials were recovered. Officials believe that some data may have been deleted before the devices were seized.
Haricharan Bhumij, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Sonitpur district, said that while the suspicion regarding Sarma’s links with Pakistan is strong, definitive conclusions will only be drawn after the investigation is completed. “The probe is ongoing, and all angles are being examined,” he said.
Before retiring in 2002, Sarma served as a Junior Warrant Officer at the Indian Air Force Station in Tezpur, a strategically important base that houses key air assets, including a Sukhoi-30 squadron. After retirement, he briefly worked at Tezpur University, police added.
A case has been registered against Sarma under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) related to national security and espionage. Authorities are also probing whether others were involved and if sensitive defence-related information was compromised.
Sarma is expected to be produced before a local court on Saturday, where police may seek his remand for further questioning. The arrest comes amid heightened vigilance by security agencies over alleged espionage activities across the country.
