Naval war room leak case: Court frames charges

A court here Thursday framed charges against businessman Abhishek Verma and others in the Naval War Room leak case, CBI sources said Thursday.

According to sources, Central Bureau of Investigation Special Judge J.P.S. Malik framed charges under criminal conspiracy and various provisions of the Official Secrets Act against Verma and other accused including Kulbushan Parashar, then Wing Commander S.L. Surve, then Commanders Vijender Rana, V.K. Jha and J.S. Kalra and then Captain Salam Singh Rathore.

The court has fixed Aug 8 for further hearing.

A case was registered March 2006 for leaking out about 7,000 pages of defence information of sensitive nature from the Naval War Room and the air force eadquarters. It was registered on a reference from the defence ministry after scrutiny of inquiry held by the Indian Air Force against Surve and the board of inquiry conducted by the navy.