Journalist held for running espionage racket with Chinese woman

Rajeev Sharma, who is now in the custody of the special cell, has been arrested for passing classified defence information to Chinese intelligence, police said, adding that the Chinese woman Qin Shi and her Nepalese associate, Sher Singh are also part of the spy racket.

"Special Cell has arrested a freelance journalist Rajeev Sharma for passing sensitive information to Chinese intelligence," the Delhi Police said in a statement.

"A Chinese woman and her Nepalese aide have also been arrested for paying Sharma large amounts of money routed through shell companies," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (special cell) Sanjeev Yadav who is leading the probe.

Police said the Chinese Intelligence Agencies have offered large amounts of money to Sharma in return for 'sensitive information'.

Police have recovered a number of mobile phones, laptops and other incriminating and sensitive material, sources said.

Sharma, a resident of Pitampura in north-west Delhi was arrested by the special cell on 14 September. An FIR (230/2020) has been filed in an Official Secrets Act case.

"He was found to be in possession of some defence-related classified documents. Investigation in the case is still on," reports citing police officials said.

Sharma was produced before a Delhi court on 15th September. He is presently being questioned by a joint team of Central Intelligence Agencies and special cell of the Delhi Police.

Sharma had earlier worked with a news agency and some prominent newspaper. He also wrote columns for several publications and ran a YouTube channel. His primary focus area was foreign and strategic affairs.

This is the second instance of a Chinese citizen being held over spying after the arrest of Chinese national Lou Peng who was accused of paying bribes to Tibetan monks.

In August, the Income Tax carried out raids on several Chinese nationals living in the national capital region, who were accused of money laundering.

During the probe, it was found that Charlie Peng aka Lou Peng had tried to pay bribes to monks living in Majnu ka Tila (North Delhi) so that he could enter the core group of Dalai Lama.

Lou Peng entered India illegally in 2014 and assumed Indian Identity. Chinese intelligence had given him the task of keeping a tab on Tibetan refugees and Dalai Lama.