Date:22/07/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/07/22/stories/2006072225161800.htm

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Delhi businessman held

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday arrested Delhi businessman Abhishek Verma for his alleged involvement in the Navy War Room leak case. The agency summoned him to its headquarters for questioning after which it placed him under arrest for custodial interrogation, the CBI spokesman said.

The CBI raided Mr. Verma's premises on June 23 in connection with the probe in the case. Sources said his questioning followed seizure of certain documents in the raid. The agency carried out searches in 20 other places.

It was known that Mr. Verma frequently hosted parties attended by senior officials of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force. It was suspected that sensitive information changed hands then, sources said. His links with Ravi Shankaran, a relative of the Navy Chief Admiral Arun Prakash and former Naval Commander Kulbhushan Parashar, were also being investigated.

The CBI filed a charge sheet against five former Navy and Air Force officials in the case. The probe against Mr. Verma is still going on and he has not been named in the charge sheet.