Cuttack: The Orissa High Court has granted bail to Basant Kumar Behera, a former contractual AC operator at the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur, who was arrested in 2021 for allegedly leaking sensitive defence-related information to a Pakistani woman.
Justice Gaurishankar Satapathy, heading the single-judge bench, passed the order after hearing Behera’s bail application.
The court observed that Behera had been in jail since September 15, 2021, and noted the inordinate delay in the trial proceedings.
Despite a chargesheet naming 28 accused individuals, only 19 witnesses have been examined over the past four years in the court of the Third Additional Sessions Judge, Balasore.
The court accepted the petitioner’s argument that this delay amounted to a violation of his constitutional right to a speedy trial and granted him bail.
As per the High Court’s directive, Behera will be released upon furnishing a bail bond with two sureties of five lakh rupees each. He is required to appear in court on all hearing dates and to refrain from engaging in any criminal activities.
Additionally, he must submit his current residential address, mobile number, and email ID to both the court and the investigating agency.
Behera is not permitted to leave the jurisdiction of the court without prior permission and must report to the local police station every fifteen days. The court made it clear that any violation of these conditions will result in the cancellation of his bail.
The case dates back to 2021 when Behera and several others were arrested by the Crime Branch for allegedly leaking confidential information related to missile testing at the DRDO’s Chandipur facility.
It was alleged that the information was passed on to a Pakistani woman in exchange for money. Following the investigation, a chargesheet was filed and the trial commenced in the lower court.
Behera was represented in the High Court by Advocate Ashutosh Mishra.
