DRDO espionage case: Pune's Special ATS court sends scientist Pradeep Kurulkar to custody till May 15
DRDO espionage case: The woman agent of a "Pakistani Intelligence Operative" contacted the Pradeep Kurulkar through WhatsApp in September 2022, and since then they were in contact.
DRDO espionage case: Pune's Special Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) court on Tuesday sent Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) scientist Pradeep Kurulkar to ATS custody till May 15.
Espionage-accused scientist was in touch with Pakistani agent: ATS
The DRDO scientist who was arrested on May 3 ago for allegedly providing confidential information to a Pakistani intelligence agent was in touch with her since 2022, an official said.
The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad arrested Kurulkar (59) in Pune under the Official Secrets Act, following which a court there remanded him in the ATS's custody till May 9.
He had been honeytraped by the woman agent, as per the investigators.
What was accused's position in DRDO?
Kurulkar, who held the position of director in a DRDO establishment in Pune, had been removed from his post recently after an investigation into his alleged links with a Pakistani agent began, the ATS official said. According to the DRDO website, Kurulkar was an outstanding Scientist who has taken over as Director of Research & Development Establishment (Engineers) [R&DE(E)], a premier Systems Engineering Laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
The accused scientist has also launched a series of new technological initiatives in the emerging technology areas like – High Performance High Power Servo Drive Technology, Platform Stabilization Technology, AFPM based Alternator Technology, VSCF based Power Source Technology, Electric Propulsion Technology, Missile Canister Technology, Autonomous Navigation Technology for small UGVs, Intelligent Robotic Manipulators for hazardous military applications and Linear Electric Motor Technology.
The woman agent of a "Pakistani Intelligence Operative" contacted the accused through WhatsApp in September 2022, and since then they were in contact through WhatsApp voice messages and video calls, he said.
During interrogation Kurulkar admitted that he had video chats with the woman, the ATS official said.
The accused's two mobile phones and other electronic gadgets which were used for communicating with the woman agent were seized and sent for forensic analysis, he said.
"The scientist, by misusing his position, despite knowing that the official secrets in his possession if obtained by the enemy country can pose a threat to the security of the country, provided the details to the enemy country," the ATS had said in a release on Thursday.