Navy War Room leak accused Abhishek Verma arrested

New Delhi, July 21 (UNI) After months of dithering, despite incriminating documents found at his place in raids, the CBI today arrested Abhishek Verma -- one of the prime accused in the Navy War Room leak case.

Verma, a businessman and an arms dealer, was summoned by the CBI at its headquarters today for questioning and thereafter arrested, said sources.

He would be produced before the designated court tomorrow.

The CBI, in its June 23 raids, had found incriminating documents from his house in searches conducted at the premises of 14 persons at 19 places.

A mastermind whose name cropped up in the French submarine 'Scorpene' deal, Verma on whose behalf Kulbhushan Parashar and Ravi Shankaran hosted parties for Army and Naval officers is the son of Congress leader Srikant Verma.

The CBI on June 23 had conducted raids at 19 places across four cities, including 15 in Delhi, to unearth the 'larger conspiracy angle' into the sensational Navy War Room leak case and ongoing investigations into the 'sneaking out' of documents from the Air Defence Directorate.

Among those whose places were raided included 12 officials of the Army and Navy, including two Under Secretaries of the Ministry of Defence and four Commanders of the Navy, according to the CBI.

Earlier, the CBI had conducted nationwide raids on April 6 this year and questioned nine people in the Navy War Room leak case besides declaring Ravi Shankaran, a kin of Naval Chief Admiral Arun Prakash, a proclaimed offender.

UNI AN VD ND1930