The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has informed a special court in Pune on Wednesday that it has made a woman Pakistani agent a co-accused in an espionage case in which she allegedly honey-trapped Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) scientist Pradeep Kurulkar. The ATS has also sought permission to run a psychoanalysis test on the scientist.
Sources said the woman operated under the name of Zara Dasgupta and was in touch with Dr. Kurulkar. The ATS has added the name “Zara Dasgupta” to the first information report (FIR) after the agent’s IP address was traced to Pakistan, said informed sources.
Dr. Kurulkar, a lab director with the DRDO in Pune, was arrested by the ATS on May 3 following a complaint filed by a senior officer of the Vigilance and Security Department of the DRDO. He was produced before the special court in Pune on May 4.
The scientist was allegedly in touch with a “Pakistan intelligence operative” through WhatsApp and video calls, the ATS had earlier said.
After his arrest, an offence under the Official Secrets Act was registered against Dr. Kurulkar.
The ATS has now added to the FIR against Dr. Kurulkar the clause of Section 4 of the Official Secrets Act that pertains to “communications with foreign agents to be evidence of commission of certain offences.”
The agency has also submitted an application to the court seeking permission to conduct a “voice layer and psychological analysis test” on the accused.
