NEW DELHI: Police in India’s capital city have arrested a local freelancejournalist on allegations he was passing “sensitive information” to Chineseintelligence officers.
In a statement on Saturday, the Delhi Police said 61-year-old Rajeev Sharmawas arrested earlier this week and officers had seized some confidentialdocuments related to the Indian defence department from the journalist’sresidence.
One Chinese woman and her Nepalese partner were also arrested for allegedlysupplying Sharma with “huge amounts of money” for “conveying information toChinese intelligence.”
The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request forcomment outside regular business hours.
Reuters could not immediately reach any of the three individuals, who areunder arrest, or their lawyers.
“On interrogation, Rajeev Sharma has disclosed his involvement in theprocurement of secret/sensitive information and further conveying the sameto his Chinese handlers,” Delhi’s Deputy Commissioner of Police SanjeevKumar Yadav said in the statement.
China-India tensions
The arrest comes amid heightened tensions between India and China at theirborder in the Himalayan region of Ladakh.
The relationship between the neighbours has worsened since August 2019,when India revoked the limited autonomy of disputed Kashmir and separatedLadakh region from it. Both areas are under federal rule now.
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It followed a vow by Indian Home Minister Amit Shah to take control ofAksai Chin, part of divided Kashmir, administered by China.
In June this year, tensions between armies of both sides resulted in aborder clash in which India says 20 of its troops were killed. It’s notclear if the Chinese also suffered losses.
Journalist received over $40,000 for ‘spying’
The police said Sharma was tasked with providing information on India-Chinaboundary issues and other matters in recent years.
It added that between January 2019 and September 2020, Sharma received morethan three million Indian rupees ($40,799) from one of his handlers.
India has in recent months banned several Chinese apps and made it tougherfor Chinese companies to make investments.
