Corporate espionage: Delhi Police says it needs to unearth deep rooted nexus

NEW DELHI: Delhi Police today told a court here that documents recovered from the arrested persons in the corporate espionage case was being analysed to unearth a "deep rooted nexus" involving several persons who were "trespassing" in offices of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

The investigators made the submission while opposing the bail plea of the three corporate executives -- Shailesh Saxena from RIL, Vinay Kumar from Essar and Subhash Chandra from Jubilant Energy.

"If accused are released at this stage, they may influence the witnesses and tamper with the evidence which may adversely affect the investigation" investigating officer (IO) told Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sanjay Khanagwal.

The IO filed a written reply to the bail plea saying the probe was at a preliminary stage and the whole nexus was to be unearthed.

"IO has filed the reply on bail applications of three accused and the same has been supplied to the accused. Put up for arguments on March 16," the court said.

The Crime Branch of Delhi Police said that the documents of MoPNG recovered from the possession of accused were yet to be analysed and verified.

The court also asked the IO to submit his reply on the bail application of Defence Ministry's house-keeping staff member Virender Kumar arrested in the case and posted the matter for argument on March 17.

Earlier, the court had extended the judicial custody of six accused including five corporate executives, who were arrested in the case till March 19.

Besides the three accused who have filed the bail pleas, the two others corporate executive arrested in the case are Rishi Anand, DGM of Reliance ADAG and K K Naik, GM of Cairns India.