NEW DELHI, Oct 7:
Arms dealer Abhishek Verma and his Romanian wife Anca Maria Neacsu today moved the Delhi High Court seeking quashing of FIR registered against them by CBI for violation of the Official Secrets Act.
The couple is facing trial in the case in connection with possessing secret defence documents and supplying them to foreign nationals.
Verma alleged that the investigating agency has lodged the FIR based on some “forged and fabricated” documents and sought an inquiry against a senior CBI officer and the people who supplied the documents to the probe agency.
In his plea, he said, “A large conspiracy has been hatched by Ashok Aggarwal, an ex-IRS officer who is facing charges under Prevention of Corruption Act, Ramnish Geer, Senior Superintendent of CBI and Edmond Allen, his business partner and Ganton Pvt Ltd’s President.”
He also said that he has written to the higher authorities about “misuse of power and authority” by Geer to falsely implicate him.
Seeking an inquiry against these persons, Verma sought an order from court for quashing the FIR registered under the Official Secrets Act against him and his spouse.
“Quash the RC no… And all subsequent proceedings emanating therefrom against the petitioners (Verma and Anca). Issue directions for registration of FIR against the tainted CBI officer and his accomplices who hatched a criminal conspiracy to falsely implicate the petitioner,” he said in the petition.
He also said despite repeated representations to CBI, no action has been taken against the officer and others on his complaint.
Verma claimed on his representation in June last year, the CVC had recommended action against them and the government had appointed a Central Vigilance Officer this year but no action steps have been taken so far.
Justice Hima Kohli, who was hearing the matter, asked CBI counsel to inform the court as to what were the steps taken by the probe agency on Verma’s complaint.
Without issuing notice to the probe agency, Justice Kohli asked CBI counsel to file an affidavit in this regard and adjourned the matter for November 15.
Verma, Anca, their company Ganton India Pvt Ltd and former Wing Commander of the Indian Air Force Koka Rao have been named in the charge sheet by CBI under section 3 of the OS Act (for passing sensitive information) and also for criminal conspiracy and theft from a place for custody of property under the Indian Penal Code.
They are at present in judicial custody in the instant case.
The charge sheet said copies of documents related to the three wings of Indian Defence forces were obtained by them from ministry of defence, defence establishments and from those employed in Internet infrastructure (including Skype and email) to communicate secret and sensitive information to unauthorised persons.
The CBI had said in the charge sheet that Verma and Anca first came in contact with Edmond Allen and persuaded him to do business through them. For this purpose they incorporated Ganton Ltd, US.
During period from 2009-11, they also got incorporated other companies namely Ganton India Pvt Ltd and Sig Sauer India Ltd. Verma and Anca and their associates in a clandestine manner and after hatching well-planned conspiracy, obtained possession of these documents (secret documents) for any purpose prejudicial to safety and interest of India.
The CBI also said the secret documents also contained a scanned copy of handwritten notes pertaining to revenue procurements of IAF and that was when Rao was called to join the investigation and his specimen handwriting was taken.
The CBI said the Defence Ministry had on June 6 received a letter from Verma’s business partner and Ganton Pvt Ltd’s President C Edmond Allen with some documents annexed to it.
Upon verification, eight of the annexed documents were found to be “secret” and a complaint was made to the CBI by the ministry on August 27 following which a case was registered.
The agency said the eight documents which were found to be secret were summary of upgrade package, annual acquisition plan 2004, summary of filter projects which was a print from database prepared by Air headquarters for monitoring IAF projects and draft aircraft filter projects.
The secret documents also contained handwritten notes of projects of IAF, general staff qualitative requirement for holographic sights for rifle and carbine and notes pertaining to revenue procurement of various directorates of Air headquarters. (PTI)
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