2006 Naval War Room leak case: Jail Superintendent directed to appear in court

New Delhi: Tihar Jail Superintendent has been directed to appear in a Delhi court to explain why action be not taken against him for not producing arms dealer Abhishek Verma before it in the 2006 Naval War Room leak case in which he and four others, including three former naval officers and an ex-Wing Commander, are facing trial.

Special CBI Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal issued show cause notice to the superintendent of Tihar Jail no. 4 where Verma is presently lodged and asked him to appear in person in the court with his written explanation on May 25.

The court was annoyed over absence of Verma during the hearing as it had earlier issued production warrants seeking presence of the accused.

Despite issuance of production warrant on February 19, the jail authorities failed to produce Verma on April 22 and no intimation was received from the concerned Jail Superintendent for non production of the accused, the court noted.

Verma was not even produced in the court on the last date of hearing on February 19.

“Issue show cause notice against the Superintendent Jail concerned, as to why appropriate action should not be taken against him for not producing accused Abhishek Verma for the last two dates. He is directed to appear in person on the next date of hearing.

“DD entry wireless message to be also recorded through Lock up Incharge Tis Hazari Court in the office of DG Prisons Tihar to ensure the presence of said Jail Superintendent, Tihar Jail No.4 on the next date of hearing in person with his written explanation,” the judge said.

Former Navy officer Kulbhushan Prashar, former naval commander Vijender Rana, sacked naval commander VK Jha, former IAF Wing Commander Sambha Jee L Surve and arms dealer and Delhi-based businessman Abhishek Verma are facing trial in the case for the offence of criminal conspiracy under IPC and under various provisions of Official Secrets Act (OSA).

The case file is presently in Delhi High court as the accused have filed an appeal against the trial court’s order framing charges against them.

The court was recording the statements of prosecution witnesses in the case.

While Prashar, Surve, Rana and Jha are on bail, Abhishek Verma is lodged in jail under judicial custody.

The court had earlier framed charges after five accused pleaded not guilty and claimed trial.

The court had on July 31, 2014 ordered framing of charges against the accused.

The court had said that the charges of spying by obtaining secret documents, wrongful communication of information and abetment of offences under the OSA have been prima facie made out against them.

The charge of criminal conspiracy under IPC was also framed against the accused by the court.

Prime accused Ravi Shankaran is still absconding and has been declared a proclaimed offender by the court.

The 2006 Navy War Room leak case involves leaking of over 7000 pages of defence information of sensitive nature from the Naval war room and air defence headquarters, having a direct bearing on national security.

The accused in the case have been chargesheeted by CBI for “conspiring” to commit offences under the OSA.

CBI had filed the first charge sheet on July 3, 2006 against Shankaran and four ex-defence officials.

In its second charge sheet, the agency had indicted Verma for allegedly conspiring to obtain the defence documents.

Verma was handling Indian affairs of Altas group of industries and had allegedly received remittances to the tune of Rs 6.5 crore, ostensibly for paying bribes to defence personnel for obtaining information of various purchases to be made by the military, the charge sheet had said.

The Atlas group of companies had submitted bids to supply communication equipment required by the armed forces but none of the contracts had been finalised, CBI had said.

CBI had registered the case on March 20, 2006, on a reference from the Defence Ministry and after scrutiny of report of the inquiry held by the Indian Air Force against Surve and the Board of Inquiry conducted by the Indian Navy.

Prashar was arrested at the airport here on April 5, 2006, on his return from London, following which nationwide searches had been carried out at 20 premises of the six accused. He was later on granted bail.

PTI