CBI sends team to London for Shankaran's extradition

NEW DELHI: A two-member CBI team today left for London to assist British prosecutors in the extradition case of Ravi Shankaran, kin of former Naval Chief Arun Prakash and the main accused in the infamous Naval War Room leak case.

After failing to achieve a breakthrough since his arrest on April 21 lat year, the CBI got in touch with the UK authorities and Scotland Yard which suggested that the agency send its team for assisting the UK Crown Prosecution during his trial slated for January 19.

The sources said that a two-member team led by a Superintendent of Police left today along with the documents relating to the alleged involvement of 46-year-old Shankaran in the leaking of commercially sensitive information from the War Room of the Navy, official sources said.

Shankaran was arrested by Metropolitan Police in London on April 21, giving a ray of hope to the agency for unravelling the conspiracy in leaking of crucial classified information to commercial firms for pecuniary benefits.

The CBI, which has gone unrepresented in two hearings, had sought assistance of the Crown Prosecution Services to represent the case in the court for his extradition.

The UK Special Public Prosecutor, while taking into account India's extradition plea, cited the alleged involvement of Shankaran in leaking the sensitive information about Sir Creek in Gujarat before Westminster Magistrate Court.

Shankaran's solicitor Prosecutor Henri Brandman has maintained that his client will use this opportunity to put in correct light a number of matters "which have been reported totally incorrect".

The CBI had registered a case on March 20, 2006 against former IAF Wing Commander Sambhaji Rao Surve, Shankaran, ex-naval Commanders Vinod Kumar Jha and Vinod Rana, Raj Rani Jaiswal, Mukesh Bajaj, Wing Commander (retired) S K Kohli, Kashyap Kumar and Kulbushan Parashar.

The case against these nine persons was registered under various sections of the Official Secrets Act (OSA) and Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.

Barring Jaiswal, Bajaj and Kashyap Kumar, charge sheets have been filed against all the others. The CBI has prepared documents for closing the case against the trio as nothing could be found against them.

The CBI had in 2006 sought arrest of Shankaran after he was spotted in Britain. However, he managed to give a slip to the London Police after a UK court issued an arrest warrant against him.

Shankaran, who has been chargesheeted by the CBI in 2006, did not return to Britain after the arrest warrant for him was issued on April 10, 2007.