NIA court rejects national security angle in IAC theft case, grants bail to second accused

KOCHI: The NIA court here has found that two arrested persons in the case related to theft of computer hardware from Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) had no intention to threaten national security. The court stated this in the order granting bail to one of the accused last week.Sumit Kumar of Bihar and Daya Ram, painters working under contract at Cochin Shipyard, committed the theft in July 2019. Both were arrested by NIA in June this year and a chargesheet was filed against them under Section 66F of IT Act, cyber terrorism, threatening national security and various offences under IPC.

Around 20 hardware items, including 256 GB solid state drives, 4 GB computer RAM and processors, all stolen from aircraft carrier, were recovered by NIA. After filing the chargesheet, the duo applied for bail but the NIA objected claiming that content in one of the solid state drives was found erased thus committing an offence under Section 66F of IT Act. However, the court granted bail to Daya Ram while Sumit Kumar’s plea was dismissed.

“The main offence cited in the chargesheet is certainly a series of thefts carried out by the accused persons in furtherance of their common intention. It seems that they did not do anything with the intention to cause any damage to national security,” NIA Judge P Krishnakumar stated in the order. Daya Ram was asked to execute a bond of `1 lakh or present two solvent sureties.

He should surrender his passport and should not leave Ernakulam until his voice samples are recorded. Once he returns to his native place, he should report to the station house officer of the nearby police station in Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan between 10am and 11am every Sunday.