Spying case: Navy men in judicial custody

By Our Staff Reporter

VISAKHAPATNAM, AUG. 27. All the three accused Navy personnel in the espionage case were on Monday remanded in judicial custody till September 10 by Mr. P. Purushottama Rao, Seventh Metropolitan Magistrate.

Rajbir Singh Kaundle, 44, Deputy Chief Petty Officer and incharge of the Photo Division of the INS Circars, who was in police remand, was produced in the court and sent to judicial remand.

Bijender Singh Panwar, 44, former Chief Petty Officer of the Indian Navy based in Delhi, who was brought on Friday by the Visakhapatnam police after arresting him there, was also produced in the court and sent for judicial remand.

When Panwar pleaded with the court not to send him to police custody as he was not in good health, Mr. Purushottama Rao directed the Medical Officer of the Central Prison to provide medical aid to the accused and report his condition to the court.

Panwar told the court that a similar case was pending against him in Delhi. He was arrested by two plainclothes policemen in Delhi without giving him reasons for the arrest. He also complained that the police made him sign on a blank sheet dated August 22.

Lt. Cdr. Rajkumar, 45, Chief Security Officer of the Naval Armament Depot, who was arrested on Saturday, was also remanded.

When a local advocate, apparently engaged by Rajkumar to file a bail petition, told the court that he was not allowed to meet the accused, the court asked him to submit the same in writing. However, he went out and the police allowed him to meet the accused. The advocate collected some documents from the accused.

The police had on Sunday produced the accused before the Magistrate at his residence, but were directed to produce them in the court on Monday.

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