Chennai (Tamil Nadu): A National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court in Chennai has pronounced its judgement in the Thameem Ansari Espionage Case convicting Sri Lankan national Arun Selvarajan for all the charges. The accused has been sentenced to five years of rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs. 20,000.
The case was originally registered on September 17, 2010, at the Q Branch station in Tamil Nadu's Trichy and police arrested Thameem Ansari, a native of Thanjavur district in Tamil Nadu for conducting espionage at the behest of Pakistan Intelligence officers led by accused Amir Zubair Siddique posted at the Pakistan High Commission in Colombo, as part of the conspiracy to carry out terrorist acts in India.
NIA had re-registered the case and taken over the investigation from state police.
Later, Arun Selvarajan was arrested in this case for engaging in similar espionage activities, at the behest of Pakistan Intelligence officers. An ensuing investigation had established that the accused persons Thameem Ansari and Arun Selvarajan pursuant to the conspiracy hatched with Pakistan intelligence officers had conducted espionage at various defence establishments and sensitive locations in Tamil Nadu besides transmitting such classified information to Amir Zubair Siddique, thereby threatening the sovereignty and security of India.
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Charges were framed against Thameem Ansari and Arun Selvarajan and trial had commenced thereafter.
Arun Selvarajn has now been convicted for all the charges against him. However, the trial against Thameem Ansari continues.
An investigation is underway against the absconding accused Mohammed Anver Mohammed Siraj Ali native of Sri Lanka besides the Pakistan intelligence officer Amir Zubair Siddique and others.(ANI REPORT)
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