Assam Police on Friday night arrested a retired Indian Air Force (IAF) officer on allegations of maintaining links with a Pakistani espionage network, raising serious security concerns in the state.
The arrested person has been identified as Kulendra Sarma, a resident of the Patia locality in Tezpur town of Sonitpur district. Police officials said Sarma was taken into custody after a period of close monitoring and preliminary verification of information received by security agencies.
According to the police, Sarma had earlier served in the Indian Air Force and retired in 2002. During his service, he held the rank of Junior Warrant Officer and was posted at the Tezpur Air Force Station, which is considered one of the strategically important air bases in the region. The station is known to house key air assets, including a Sukhoi-30 squadron. 
Deputy Superintendent of Police Haricharan Bhumij said initial findings suggest that Sarma was allegedly in contact with operatives based in Pakistan. “Preliminary investigation indicates that sensitive documents and information may have been shared through social media platforms,” the officer said. However, he added that the investigation is still at an early stage.
“Though suspicions regarding his links with Pakistani intelligence are strong, these cannot be confirmed until the investigation is completed,” Bhumij stated, stressing that conclusions would be drawn only after a full probe.
After retiring from the Air Force, Sarma had reportedly worked for a brief period at Tezpur University. Police are now examining his activities over the years to understand when and how the alleged contacts began and whether any classified or sensitive defence-related information was compromised.
During the arrest, police seized Sarma’s laptop and mobile phone, which have been sent for detailed forensic examination. Officials said some suspicious material was found during the initial check, but investigators also noticed that certain data appears to have been deleted. Cyber experts are now working to recover any erased information.
A case has been registered against Sarma under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Sections 147, 148, 152, 238 and 61(2). These sections deal with offences related to national security, unlawful activities and criminal conspiracy.
