UK court warrant for navy leak suspects
A UK court has issued an arrest warrant against Ravi Shankaran, who is hiding in UK, in a boost to CBI probing the Navy War Room leak case.
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: A UK court has issued an arrest warrant against Ravi Shankaran, who is hiding in UK, in a boost to CBI probing the Navy War Room leak case. Making the case for extradition stronger, a district judge court in the United Kingdom issued a warrant against Shankaran on the request of CBI. A CBI release said Shankaran is a key accused in the conspiracy to leak sensitive information from the Navy’s directorate of operations.
India had made the request for Shankaran’s arrest under the provisions of Article 12 of the extradition treaty that exists between the two countries. “If apprehended, the Government of India undertakes to present a formal extradition request for Ravi Shankaran to the Government of UK and Northern Ireland not later than two months from the date of apprehension,’’ said the request.
The CBI now sees the warrant as a “major step towards his apprehension and extradition.’’ Shankaran’s arrest could open up further leads in the case. Shankaran, a relative of former Navy chief Arun Prakash, had left India before the agency registered the case and has failed to appear in court despite a proclamation order. The order was issued by the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate in Delhi on 17 June last year directing him to appear before the court.
The investigating agency had also issued several notices to make him available for questioning. A Proclamation Notice was also published in The Times London on August 11, last year, asking Shankaran to appear for questioning before CBI. After he failed to appear, the CBI had then moved to attach his property. He was declared a proclaimed offender by the CMM on 15 November last year and Interpol issued a red-corner notice against him on 12 May 2006.
The CBI believes that Shankaran is in London because of the statement of another accused in the navy war room leak case. In April last year the CBI had arrested former Naval commander Kulbushan Parashar from the Indira Gandhi International Airport after his arrival from London. From Parashar, a close associate of Shankaran, the CBI learnt that the latter was in London.
Subsequently, Shankaran’s passport was revoked by the Ministry of External Affairs on May 1. The CBI had registered a case on March 20 under various sections of the Official Secrets Act and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code against former Wing Commander of IAF Sambhaji Rao Surve, Shankaran, ex-Commanders of Navy Vinod Kumar Jha and Vinod Rana, Raj Rani Jaiswal, Mukesh Bajaj, Wing Cdr (retd) S K Kohli, Kashyap Kumar and former Naval commander Kulbushan Parashar. The CBI has so far filed three chargesheets in this case.
India had made the request for Shankaran’s arrest under the provisions of Article 12 of the extradition treaty that exists between the two countries. “If apprehended, the Government of India undertakes to present a formal extradition request for Ravi Shankaran to the Government of UK and Northern Ireland not later than two months from the date of apprehension,’’ said the request.
The CBI now sees the warrant as a “major step towards his apprehension and extradition.’’ Shankaran’s arrest could open up further leads in the case. Shankaran, a relative of former Navy chief Arun Prakash, had left India before the agency registered the case and has failed to appear in court despite a proclamation order. The order was issued by the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate in Delhi on 17 June last year directing him to appear before the court.
The investigating agency had also issued several notices to make him available for questioning. A Proclamation Notice was also published in The Times London on August 11, last year, asking Shankaran to appear for questioning before CBI. After he failed to appear, the CBI had then moved to attach his property. He was declared a proclaimed offender by the CMM on 15 November last year and Interpol issued a red-corner notice against him on 12 May 2006.
The CBI believes that Shankaran is in London because of the statement of another accused in the navy war room leak case. In April last year the CBI had arrested former Naval commander Kulbushan Parashar from the Indira Gandhi International Airport after his arrival from London. From Parashar, a close associate of Shankaran, the CBI learnt that the latter was in London.
Subsequently, Shankaran’s passport was revoked by the Ministry of External Affairs on May 1. The CBI had registered a case on March 20 under various sections of the Official Secrets Act and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code against former Wing Commander of IAF Sambhaji Rao Surve, Shankaran, ex-Commanders of Navy Vinod Kumar Jha and Vinod Rana, Raj Rani Jaiswal, Mukesh Bajaj, Wing Cdr (retd) S K Kohli, Kashyap Kumar and former Naval commander Kulbushan Parashar. The CBI has so far filed three chargesheets in this case.
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