DRDO scientist held for leaking secrets to Pak intelligence operative denied bail

Pune, Dec 7 (PTI) A Pune court on Thursday denied bail to DRDO scientist Pradeep Kurulkar, who was arrested in May this year for allegedly leaking confidential information to a Pakistani intelligence operative.

District and Sessions Judge V R Kachare denied bail stating there was a prima facie case against the accused and the offence was a serious one. He also said some data needs to be recovered.

Kurulkar, then director of a Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO)-affiliated laboratory in Pune, was arrested by the Maharashtra ATS on May 3 on charges of leaking confidential information to a woman who turned out to be a Pakistani intelligence operative.

Advocate Rhishikesh Ganu, the defence counsel for Kurulkar, had filed a bail application and argued the chargesheet is filed and that there was no chance of him tampering with evidence since the case of the prosecution was based on mobile phones and technology.

Opposing the bail application, public prosecutor Adv Vijay Fargade told court the offence was a serious one and there was a prima facie case against the accused.

The accused was a senior official and, hence, he can apply pressure on witnesses and also tamper with evidence, Fargade argued.