Two Navy employees acquitted in spying case

Two Navy employees, accused of passing sensitive information to a Pakistani agent in Kathmandu nine years ago, have been acquitted by a Delhi court which slammed the police for carrying out the investigation in a casual manner.

Two Navy employees, accused of passing sensitive information to a Pakistani agent in Kathmandu nine years ago, have been acquitted by a Delhi court which slammed the police for carrying out the investigation in a casual manner.

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"The investigation in the case was conducted in a very casual manner that it indicates of tainted investigation," an Additional Sessions Judge said.

The court said the prosecution failed miserably to prove any conspiracy between accused Girija Shanker Pandey, ex-sailor, and Sabhajit Yadav, a havaldar, who were charged with criminal conspiracy under the IPC and spying under the Official Secrets Act.

It noted contradictions in the versions of prosecution witnesses regarding the date of arrest of the accused.

"It is a very serious case where the police had received secret information that somebody was passing information detrimental to safety and sovereignty of the state. It is a matter of great concern that the investigation agency did not conduct the investigation in a proper manner," the court said.

According to the prosecution, Pandey, who retired from Navy in 1996, was arrested on May 13, 2000 from Naraina here, while allegedly trying to send an envelop containing sensitive information through courier to a Pakistani agent in Kathmandu.

Yadav, who allegedly supplied classified documents, was also arrested a day later allegedly on Pandey's disclosure.

The court, in its judgement, noted the police did not try to trace R K Sharma, alleged kingpin, who used to send money to Pandey for passing information.

"The duty of the investigating agency is to reach the real culprit. A half-hearted investigation in such case is like compromising with the safety and security of the state," the court observed.