Espionage case: Delhi High Court asks arms dealer, wife to file submissions

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has asked jailed arms dealer Abhishek Verma and his Romanian wife Anca to file written submissions in support of their plea for documents in a case relating to alleged possessiion of the Defence Ministry's secret papers and supplying them to foreign nationals.

"You file a written submissions/brief synopsis in the case," Justice V P Vaish said and listed the petitions of Verma and his wife Maria Neacsu for hearing on May 12.

The couple is facing prosecution in the case lodged by CBI on the complaint of the Ministry of Defence under the provisions of the Official Secrets Act for allegedly possessing secret documents and supplying them to foreign nationals.

"I don't have anything to defend myself. I should be given all the documents to be relied upon by CBI in prosecuting us," the counsel for the couple said.

He also cited a legal provision in support of the plea that an undertrial has the right to seek documents which would be considered by the court during the trial.

The CBI counsel opposed the plea saying the documents sought by the accused are "privileged ones" and cannot be handed over.