ATS arrest in May: Engineer held for ‘passing on sensitive documents to Pak operatives' seeks bail
A 27-year-old engineer, arrested in May by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) for allegedly passing on sensitive documents related to the Indian Naval dockyard to a Pakistani Intelligence Operatives (PIOs) through social media, has sought bail stating that his prolonged detention will prejudice his personal and professional life.
The engineer, Ravi Varma, who was working with a private defence technology company, was arrested by the ATS on May 28, which alleged that he had shared sensitive and confidential information through WhatsApp between November 2024 and March 2025.
'It is respectfully submitted that the investigation in the present case appears to be substantially complete. The primary evidence including the applicant (Varma)'s mobile phone, containing the alleged WhatsApp chats, audio files, images and documents, has been seized, thoroughly examined and extracted by the investigating agency… The continued incarceration of the applicant is no longer necessitated for any further custodial interrogation or recovery of evidence,' the bail plea filed by Varma states.
It adds that he has extended full cooperation with the investigators through the interrogation and there is no likelihood of him absconding or fleeing or tampering with the evidence, given that key electronic evidence is already secured.
'That the allegations, while serious, are subject to proof beyond reasonable doubt during the trial. The applicant maintains his innocence and reserves the right to present his defence at the appropriate stage… that the applicant is a young professional employed as a junior service engineer, and his prolonged detention would severely prejudice his personal and professional life without serving any larger investigative purpose,' the plea filed through lawyer Rajhans Girase said. The lawyer said that the case will be heard next on July 1.
The ATS after arresting Varma had claimed that the PIOs had posed as women to lure him and they communicated for months, following which he sent documents of restricted areas in the Indian Navy dockyard that he had access to through the company where he was working.
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