Ex-Cook Of IAF Officers' Mess Charged For Possessing Secret Information

A former cook of the India Air Force officers' mess has been charged by the police under the Official Secret Act for possessing confidential information, including the take-off schedule of the IAF's fighter planes.

A native of Banka district in Bihar, Shashikant Jha was initially detained by the IAF and was later handed over to the police on being found in possession of sensitive information about the Air Force, said Inspector Pradeep Shukla of Shahpur police station today.

"The Air Force officials had detained Shashikant Jha on Saturday after finding him having information pertaining to take-off schedule of fighter planes inside the Air Force station campus," said Mr Shukla.

The police have charged him under OSA and recovered documents, including the map of IAF station in Gorakhpur and several secret information including the schedule of the fighter planes and other programs and its other programmes, Mr Shukla said.

Shashikant Jha lived in Gorakhpur in a rented room near Durga temple in Nanda Nagar under Shahpur police station along with his wife who has gone to her father's house.

During interrogation, the police came to know that Shashikant Jha was earlier a cook at Air force officers mess and he worked there till September 2017. He used to note secret information, while hearing officers' conversation.

He had no permission or pass to enter the Air Force colony when he was caught by the Air Force security (on Saturday), the police said.