NIA court convicts Lankan of espionage

Chennai, March 15

A special NIA court has jailed a Sri Lankan national for five years and fined Rs 20,000 after convicting him for spying on Indian defence installations at the behest of Pakistan intelligence officers as part of a conspiracy to carry out terrorist attacks in the country.

Arun Selvarajan has been convicted for all charges against him including the IPC, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Official Secrets Act, the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, the Foreigners Act besides the Passport Act, an NIA spokesperson said.

In September 2012, Thameem Ansari, a native of Tamil Nadu’s Thanjavur district, was arrested for conducting espionage at the behest of Pakistan intelligence officers led by Amir Zubair Siddique, who was posted at the Pakistan High Commission in Colombo, as part of a conspiracy to carry out terrorist acts in India, the official said.

A case was registered on September 17, 2012, in Tamil Nadu’s Trichy city under sections of the Official Secrets Act read with Section 120B of the IPC. — PTI