DRDO espionage case: In a major development into the espionage case, wherein a DRDO scientist Dr Pradeep Kurulkar, arrested on charges of providing confidential information to a Pakistani agent has been sent to judicial custody for 14 days. A special court in Maharashtra's Pune on Tuesday remanded the DRDO scientist and sent him to judicial custody till May 29.
Anti-Terrorism Squad of Maharashtra police arrested Kurulkar, a director at one of the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) labs in Pune on May 3. As per reports, during the hearing the scientist asked for some medicines citing the problem of high blood sugar. He also requested home food.
Court refused his request for home food
The court allowed Kurulkar to have the medicines but refused his request for food to be delivered from his home.
Earlier on Monday, the special court extended his police custody till Tuesday after the prosecution said his mobile phone needs to be analysed.
Kurulkar was in touch with an agent
It is alleged that the DRDO scientist was in touch with an agent of a "Pakistan Intelligence Operative” through WhatsApp and video calls. An ATS official last week claimed that it was a case of honeytrap.
An offence under relevant sections of the Official Secrets Act was also registered against Kurulkar after his arrest.
As per a report of PTI, the prosecution earlier informed the court that they seized a phone on which a PIO (Person of Indian Origin) agent had messaged the accused using an Indian number. Kurulkar had allegedly travelled to five to six countries on a diplomatic passport and the prosecution wanted to know whom he met during those trips.
