Assam Police Arrest Retired IAF Officer for Alleged Links with Pakistani Espionage

Assam Police on Friday night arrested retired Indian Air Force (IAF) officer Kulendra Sarma on charges of maintaining alleged links with a Pakistani espionage network.

Sarma, a resident of Patia locality in Tezpur, was taken into custody following sustained surveillance and a preliminary investigation by police officials.

According to Deputy Superintendent of Police Haricharan Bhumij, preliminary investigations suggest that Sarma had shared sensitive documents and information with operatives based in Pakistan, reportedly through social media platforms.

“Though suspicions regarding Sarma’s links with Pakistani intelligence are strong, they cannot be confirmed until the probe is completed,” Bhumij said.

Before his retirement in 2002, Sarma served as a Junior Warrant Officer at the Tezpur Air Force Station, home to key air assets including a Sukhoi-30 squadron. Post-retirement, he briefly worked at Tezpur University.

Police have seized Sarma’s laptop and mobile phone for forensic examination. Officials noted that while suspicious material was recovered, some data appears to have been deleted.

A case has been registered against Sarma under Sections 147, 148, 152, 238, and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Authorities are investigating the duration of his alleged contacts, the nature of the information shared, and whether any classified data may have been compromised.

Also Read: Spectacular IAF Air Show Lights Up Guwahati Skies Over the Brahmaputra