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DRDO scientist case: ATS makes Pakistani agent co-accused; wants psychoanalysis test on Pradeep Kurulkar
ATS has also submitted an application to the court requesting permission to conduct a voice-layer and psychological analysis test on Kurulkar.
Pune: The Maharashtra anti-terrorism squad (ATS) has informed a court here that it has made a Pakistani agent operating in the name of Zara Dasgupta who apparently honey-trapped Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) scientist Pradeep Kurulkar a co-accused in the case, officials said on Wednesday. (ALSO READ: Pakistan operative in touch with DRDO’s Kurulkar also contacted IAF official)
The court of Additional Sessions Judge SR Navandar has decided to hear the matter on June 23. Besides adding Pakistani spy’s name in the first information report (FIR), the probe agency has also sought permission from the court to run a psychoanalysis test on the former DRDO scientist.
The ATS has also submitted an application to the court requesting permission to conduct a voice-layer and psychological analysis test on Kurulkar and sought his temporary custody for that. Additionally, the ATS has sought Kurulkar’s consent to undergo a polygraph test, the official said.
“The ATS has informed the court on Tuesday that it has added another individual operating under the name Zara Dasgupta to the FIR after the agent’s IP address was traced to Pakistan. It has added to the FIR Section 4 of the Official Secrets Act that pertains to communications with foreign agents to be evidence of commission of certain offences,” an ATS official said on condition of anonymity.
Defence counsel Rhishikesh Ganu said that it will file a reply in the court to the ATS applications as per Kurulkar’s instructions.
Kurulkar was arrested by the ATS on May 3 on charges of leaking confidential information to a woman Pakistani intelligence operative as a DRDO scientist. According to the ATS officials, the woman operated under the name of Zara Dasgupta and was in touch with Kurulkar. After interacting with the Pakistani agent, he had blocked her phone number although the operative contacted the DRDO scientist using another number.
ALSO READ: Honey-trapped by Pak spy, Odisha ITR officer arrested for leaking information
Earlier, in its submissions before court, ATS had stated that their probe has revealed that an IAF officer based in Bengaluru was contacted by the PIO using the same internet protocol (IP) address traced to the neighbouring country.
As per the ATS, the DRDO scientist was in touch with the Pakistani agent through WhatsApp and video calls.
