DRDO espionage case: ATS makes Pak agent co-accused; wants psychoanalysis test on Kurulkar

PTI, Jun 21, 2023, 6:40 PM IST

Pradeep Kurulkar

Pune: The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has informed a court here that it has made a woman Pakistani agent who apparently honey-trapped DRDO scientist Pradeep Kurulkar a co-accused in the case. ATS has also sought permission to run a psychoanalysis test on the scientist.

Kurulkar was the director of one of the labs of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in Pune when he was arrested by the ATS on May 3 on the charges of leaking confidential information to a woman Pakistani intelligence operative.

Sources said the woman operated under the name of Zara Dasgupta and was in touch with Kurulkar.

ATS added the name “Zara Dasgupta” to the first information report (FIR) after the agent’s IP address was traced to Pakistan, the sources said.

ATS has now 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”, they said.

As per the ATS, the DRDO scientist was in touch with the Pakistani agent through WhatsApp and video calls.

The agency 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.

Defence counsel Rhishikesh Ganu said they will file an appropriate reply to the ATS applications in court as per his client’s instructions.

The court will hear the matter next on June 26.

The prosecution had earlier informed the court that the agency had seized a phone on which the Pakistani agent had messaged Kurulkar using an Indian number. Kurulkar had allegedly travelled to five to six countries on a diplomatic passport and the prosecution wanted to know whom he met during those trips.