OSA case against Verma

The agency will now question senior Ministry of Defence officials and retired Army personnel who they suspect may have helped Verma in the leakage of documents. These officials may also face charges under OSA and criminal conspiracy,the sections under which the CBI filed its new FIR. The agency will also seek Vermas custody to record his statement and to establish his contacts with Ministry of Defence officials.

Earlier,the Ministry of Defence certified that the documents that were reportedly handed over by Vermas former partner C Edmonds Allen were classified.

The CBI then sought legal opinion on Vermas alleged involvement as the documents were not recovered from his possession but were provided by a third person.

The documents include the IAFs acquisition plans for the next five years,some of which relate to acquisition of UAVs.

Allen and Verma have been engaged in litigation after their business ties snapped.

Verma had filed a case against Allen accusing him of cheating him of Rs 55 crore and forging documents to defame him.

The CBI has already booked Verma and his wife for allegedly taking money from Swiss firm Rheinmetall Air Defence AG to stall the blacklisting proceedings initiated by the government against it.