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Josy Joseph in New Delhi
A Pakistan High Commission staffer, Ali Abbas and an Indian Air Force corporal, T K Mahapatra, were arrested on Tuesday morning in New Delhi, while they were exchanging classified defence documents.
According to intelligence sources, among the documents the IAF personnel was handing over to the Pakistani contact were details about a joint exercise of the air forces of India and the US.
Other documents were details about the visit of a Nigerian Air Force delegation, details of IAF deployment, and other major events in some of the Indian IAF bases.
Indian intelligence sources, who collaborated with the IAF in nabbing the two, said that Abbas was an intelligence officer from Pakistan.
Mahapatra was posted at the Jodhpur air force base.
The two were arrested from New Delhi's congested Paharganj area, a few metres away from New Delhi railway station.
The arrest was made possible after a four-month long surveillance, sources said.
Though the IAF spokesman refused to comment, a senior air force officer confirmed to rediff.com that the corporal is under custody.
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