Pune: DRDO Lab Director Pradeep Kurulkar Sent To Yerwada Jail
Pune, 16th May 2023: A special court in Pune has remanded arrested DRDO lab director Dr Pradeep Kurulkar (59) to judicial custody and sent him to Yerwada Central Jail. He has been arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on charges of sharing defence secrets with Pakistan intelligence operatives.
Kurulkar, a resident of Kothrud, worked as director of the Pune-based DRDO lab Research & Development Establishment (Engineers) (R&DE(Engrs)), which is engaged in the indigenous development of various engineering systems for all the three wings of the Indian defence forces. He was arrested on May 3 on allegations of espionage.
After the expiry of his police custody remand, he was produced before the court which remanded him to judicial custody. He will be lodged in Yerwada Central Jail now.
During his judicial custody, Dr Kurulkar has been instructed to have access to necessary medications for his diabetes; however, the permission to receive homemade meals has been denied.
According to ATS, several suspicious emails were sent to Dr Kurulkar from Pakistan, raising concerns that he may have shared sensitive information that could potentially compromise the security of the nation. A thorough technical analysis of the seized laptop and mobile devices has been conducted, and a comprehensive report has been prepared.
Significant developments have emerged in the ongoing investigation of DRDO scientist Dr. Pradeep Kurulkar, with the receipt of the prelimnary forensic report regarding the mobile phone seized from him. Screenshots containing sensitive information have been captured from the device, intensifying the suspicions against Dr. Kurulkar.
The ATS officials, responsible for the case, have stated that if necessary, they will interrogate him while he is in jail and even conduct a polygraph test to uncover the truth, as mentioned in the report filed by the ATS in court.
ATS authorities are investigating Dr. Kurulkar’s official foreign tours, focusing their attention on a possible connection between him and a Pakistani woman who allegedly attempted to extract classified information from him through WhatsApp. It has come to light that Dr. Kurulkar engaged in activities such as trekking during some of these foreign visits.
According to officials, Dr. Kurulkar recently traveled to six countries, including China, South Africa, Kenya, Mauritius, Malaysia, and Nepal, utilizing his diplomatic passport. While a few of these trips were authorized and reported to his department, the ATS investigation has uncovered indications of undisclosed activities during some of his unofficial travels.
The officials said that these findings have raised suspicions of a potential meeting between Dr. Kurulkar and the woman with whom he exchanged messages on WhatsApp, given his deep involvement with her. He expressed his desire to engage in physical relations with her, further deepening the intrigue.
ATS officials have stressed the need for a comprehensive verification process before drawing any definitive conclusions. Furthermore, the ATS is actively exploring the espionage angle in Dr. Kurulkar’s case, as their investigation has revealed that he willingly shared information with a suspected Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) woman without being blackmailed.
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