Overview
- The special court, which framed charges on Thursday, accused former DRDO scientist Pradeep Kurulkar under Sections 3(1)(c), 4 and 5(1)(a), 5(1)(c) and 5(1)(d) of the Official Secrets Act.
- The trial is scheduled to start in the second week of July and proceedings will be held in-camera because the case involves classified defence material.
- Kurulkar was arrested by the Maharashtra ATS on May 3, 2023, and the ATS filed a chargesheet on June 30, 2023 as the investigation moved forward.
- The prosecution’s case rests on digital evidence, including a November 2024 forensic science laboratory report on alleged chat exchanges between Kurulkar and a suspected Pakistani intelligence operative.
- The court rejected Kurulkar’s discharge plea and has directed the prosecution to submit a list of relied-upon documents at the next hearing, a procedural step that moves the matter from investigation to full trial and will limit public disclosure of sensitive material.