An Indian Air Force (IAF) officer, a Wing Commander posted along the western front, has been arrested on charges of allegedly sharing sensitive military information with a Pakistani woman. The officer and the woman had been in contact through social media.An IAF spokesperson in New Delhi said, “The officer was under active surveillance and was handed over to the appropriate law enforcement agencies.”The IAF handed over the officer to the Special Cell of the Delhi Police on May 30. He was booked under the Official Secrets Act on May 31. Following the investigation, a chargesheet was filed before the competent court on July 30.Sources said the officer was not posted in the national capital, but at a forward air base of the Western Air Command, which is headquartered in New Delhi. The command has a vast area of responsibility, covering air bases in Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, western Uttar Pradesh and northwestern Rajasthan.Sources said the IAF’s intelligence unit noticed unusual activity and proactively placed the Wing Commander under surveillance. “Due to proactive measures, he was caught. The IAF has zero tolerance for such activities,” official sources told The Tribune.Following his arrest, the officer was first questioned in police custody and was later remanded to judicial custody. He is currently lodged in Tihar Jail. Investigators suspect the case may involve a honey trap.It is also being ascertained whether the Pakistani woman who allegedly honey-trapped the officer was in contact with anyone else in the IAF.The Wing Commander reportedly began chatting with the woman on social media while going through a difficult phase in his personal life. The conversations gradually evolved into regular video calls, following which the IAF intelligence unit picked up the trail.The woman allegedly first gained his trust and then began seeking information related to military activities. The officer is accused of sharing details regarding the movement and deployment of military units with her.Sources explained that in military espionage, even seemingly insignificant pieces of information can be valuable. The addition of a fuel bowser, a visit by an operational commander, or even a power outage can be analysed collectively to identify changes in military activity. Such details may not be visible through enemy surveillance satellites, making ground-based intelligence particularly valuable.The woman reportedly asked the officer to share photographs, videos and other details related to the movement and deployment of military units. It is further alleged that he transmitted sensitive documents and data to her through digital means.The IAF is examining the extent of the alleged leak and analysing how the information may have been intended to be used. Investigators are also probing allegations that the Wing Commander asked a colleague to install a specific communication app on his mobile phone. The app is being examined to determine whether it contained spyware or remote-access malware capable of stealing data, tracking locations or gaining access to conversations.As a precautionary measure, mobile phones are not permitted inside IAF operational areas, command headquarters or Air Headquarters. However, officers and airmen are allowed to use mobile phones at home, subject to strict social media usage policies.