WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2018 (PAGE 20) DAILY EXCELSIOR...
Transcript of WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2018 (PAGE 20) DAILY EXCELSIOR...
BrahMos Engg on3-day ATS remand
NAGPUR, Oct 9:
BrahMos Aerospace engi-neer Nishant Agrawal, arrestedon charges of espionage, was intouch with suspected Pakistaniintelligence operatives throughtwo Facebook accounts -- 'NehaSharma' and 'Pooja Ranjan',according to the Uttar PradeshPolice.
The UP Police's Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATC) statedthis in the court of JuniorMagistrate First Class S MJoshi here today while seekingAgrawal's transit remand fortaking him to Lucknow for adetailed interrogation.
The court granted three-daytransit remand to the UP ATS,Additional Public Prosecutor SJ Bagde, who appeared forMaharashtra ATS, said.
Agrawal was arrestedMonday in a joint operation bythe ATS units of Uttar Pradeshand Maharashtra police atBrahMos' Wardha Road facilityfor allegedly leaking "technicalinformation" to Pakistan.
BrahMos Aerospace is ajoint venture between India'sDefence Research andDevelopment Organisation(DRDO) and the 'MilitaryIndustrial Consortium' (NPOMashinostroyenia) of Russia.
The Investigating Officer ofthe UP ATS told the court thatAgrawal was in touch with twoFacebook accounts, operatedunder the names 'Neha Sharma'and 'Pooja Ranjan'.
These accounts, based out ofIslamabad, are believed to berun by Pakistan's intelligenceoperatives, the ATS officer said.
Such fake accounts arereportedly used to approachsenior officials in India andAgrawal too was approached bythose operating these twoFacebook accounts, the IO toldthe court.
Agrawal, despite beingengaged in "highly sensitivework", was "casual" on theinternet and made himself an"easy target", the ATS officersaid.
He said Agrawal was activeon LinkedIn also.
Top classified informationhad been loaded on the accused'spersonal laptop, the officer said.
He added that classified reg-istered files with red markingswere found stored in PDF(portable document format) inthe accused's personal laptop.
"These are all top classifiedinformation which (if) sharedcould be a threat to the country.We want to conduct a detailedinterrogation and produce himin the special court in Lucknow,and, hence, request three daystransit remand," the IO told thecourt.
The accused has been chargedunder Sections 3,4, 5 and 9 of theOfficial Secrets Act, Sections419, 420, 467, 468, 120 (B) and121 (A) of the Indian Penal Codeas well as 66 (B) of theInformation Technology Act.
Nishant Agrawal's fatherPradip Agrawal said he did notbelieve that his son was guiltyand has faith in thejudiciary.(PTI)
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