VELLORE: A 52-year-old retired Army officer has been arrested in Vellore for allegedly leaking confidential military information and details about Army equipment to an unidentified woman through WhatsApp, Kaniyambadi police said.

The accused, Babu (52), hails from Keezhvallam village near Kaniyambadi in Vellore district. He served in various divisions of the Indian Army for 28 years and retired last year with the rank of Captain from the Army's equipment division. After retirement, he settled in his native village of Keezhvallam.

According to preliminary information, approximately a year ago, an unidentified woman contacted Babu through WhatsApp. She allegedly established contact with him through inappropriate conversations before gradually asking him for information related to the Indian Army.

Babu reportedly shared the information she requested. Whenever he did not know certain details, he allegedly contacted Army offices over the phone to obtain the information and subsequently passed it on to the woman. He is suspected of leaking confidential military information and details concerning Army equipment over the past year. Army officials reportedly grew suspicious of his activities and questioned him in person with the assistance of central intelligence agencies.

During the investigation, it allegedly emerged that Babu had been sharing various military-related details with the unidentified woman over the past year. Central intelligence officials detained Babu for questioning the day before yesterday and handed him over to the Vellore Rural Police Station last night.

The Vellore Rural Police have registered a case and are conducting further investigations. Investigators are now working to identify the woman who allegedly contacted Babu and obtained the confidential information. They are also examining who was operating the WhatsApp account and whether any foreign nationals or overseas organisations were involved in the suspected information leak.