New Delhi: A two-member CBI team on Sunday left for London to assist British prosecutors in the extradition case of Ravi Shankaran, kin of former Navy Chief
Arun Prakash and the main accused in the infamous Naval War
Room leak case.
After failing to achieve a breakthrough since his
arrest on April 21 last year, the CBI got in touch with the UK
authorities and Scotland Yard which suggested that the agency
send its team for assisting the UK Crown Prosecution during
his trial slated for January 19.
The sources said that a two-member team led by a
Superintendent of Police left today along with the documents
relating to the alleged involvement of 46-year-old Shankaran
in the leaking of commercially sensitive information from the
War Room of the Navy, official sources said.
Shankaran was arrested by Metropolitan Police in
London on April 21, giving a ray of hope to the agency for
unravelling the conspiracy in leaking of crucial classified
information to commercial firms for pecuniary benefits.
The CBI, which has gone unrepresented in two hearings,
had sought assistance of the Crown Prosecution Services to
represent the case in the court for his extradition.
The UK Special Public Prosecutor, while taking into
account India`s extradition plea, cited the alleged
involvement of Shankaran in leaking the sensitive information
about Sir Creek in Gujarat before Westminster Magistrate
Court.
Shankaran`s solicitor Prosecutor Henri Brandman has
maintained that his client will use this opportunity to put in
correct light a number of matters "which have been reported
totally incorrect".
The CBI had registered a case on March 20, 2006
against former IAF Wing Commander Sambhaji Rao Surve,
Shankaran, ex-naval Commanders Vinod Kumar Jha and Vinod Rana,
Raj Rani Jaiswal, Mukesh Bajaj, Wing Commander (retired) SK
Kohli, Kashyap Kumar and Kulbushan Parashar.
The case against these nine persons was registered
under various sections of the Official Secrets Act (OSA) and
Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.
Barring Jaiswal, Bajaj and Kashyap Kumar, charge
sheets have been filed against all the others. The CBI has
prepared documents for closing the case against the trio as
nothing could be found against them.
The CBI had in 2006 sought arrest of Shankaran after
he was spotted in Britain. However, he managed to give a slip
to the London Police after a UK court issued an arrest
warrant against him.
Shankaran, who has been chargesheeted by the CBI in
2006, did not return to Britain after the arrest warrant for
him was issued on April 10, 2007.
PTI
