Court denies bail to engineer Ravi Varma; accused of passing naval secrets to Pakistan

A court in Maharashtra’s Thane district has denied bail to a junior service engineer accused of leaking sensitive information about Indian Navy warships and submarines to Pakistani nationals, observing that the allegations involve serious offences linked to naval establishments.

In an order passed earlier this month, Additional Sessions Judge V.G. Mohite said the charges against the accused carry a possible punishment of up to 14 years of imprisonment and therefore warranted continued custody.

The accused, Ravi Varma, was working as a junior service engineer with Crasni Technology Pvt Ltd, a company that provides services to establishments including the Naval Dockyard, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd, the Indian Coast Guard and the Mumbai Port Trust.

Varma, a resident of Kalwa in Thane, was arrested on 28 May 2025 and is currently lodged in judicial custody.

According to the prosecution, Varma allegedly shared sensitive information regarding the names and locations of Indian Navy ships and boats with two Pakistani nationals through WhatsApp between November 2024 and March 2025.

Investigators alleged that the information was passed in return for monetary benefits.

Police registered the case under provisions of the Official Secrets Act and Section 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Defence plea rejected

In his bail application, Varma claimed he had been falsely implicated and maintained his innocence.

He argued that the investigation had already been completed and that a chargesheet had been filed, and therefore his continued detention was unnecessary.

The accused also told the court that all electronic evidence related to the case was already in the custody of investigators.

However, the prosecution opposed the bail plea, stating that Varma had allegedly shared his bank account details with the absconding Pakistani nationals, who then transferred money to him in exchange for the sensitive information.

The prosecution further argued that if released on bail, the accused could tamper with evidence or influence witnesses and might also abscond.

Court cites gravity of offence

After hearing both sides and examining the documents on record, the court observed that the case involved serious offences under the Official Secrets Act.

The judge noted that the accused allegedly committed the offence for pecuniary gain and that the allegations involved sensitive information relating to national security.

The court also accepted the prosecution’s argument that the accused could potentially assist the absconding co-accused in evading arrest if released.

“The possibility of tampering with prosecution evidence and witnesses cannot be ruled out,” the court said.

The judge also indicated that the court intends to frame charges within the next few months and proceed with the trial.

In view of these observations, the court rejected Varma’s bail application.