Spying case: CBI arrests freelance journalist, former Navy commander

CBI has arrested a freelance journalist and a former Navy commander for allegedly collecting sensitive information related to defence matters illegally and passing them on to foreign intelligence agencies, officials said on Wednesday (May 17).

Following an FIR against Vivek Raghuvanshi, CBI on Tuesday (May 16) conducted searches on premises linked to the freelance journalist, listed as the India correspondent of a US-based portal on defence and strategic affairs on its website, and people close to him at 12 places in Jaipur and National Capital Region (NCR), they said.

Also read: CBI books freelance journalist over espionage charges

The agency has booked Raghuvanshi and former Navy commander Ashish Pathak under Section 3 (spying) of the Official Secrets Act and with Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.

Central Bureau of Investigation arrests freelance journalist Vivek Raghuvanshi and a former Navy commander in an espionage case. https://t.co/7btGxChm6Q

— ANI (@ANI) May 17, 2023

Several sensitive documents were recovered during the searches and sent for legal scrutiny, officials added.

(With agency inputs)