Indian national, firm indicted by federal jury

Washington, Sep 12 (PTI) - An Indian national and a firm
have been indicted by a federal grand jury here on charges of
supplying complex electronic instruments used in missile
delivery systems to listed entities in India including the
government-own Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (V.S.S.C.).

They were charged with supplying the controlled goods
and technology without the required licenses.

The indictment said that between August, 2001 and June,
2003, one Siddabasappa Suresh and Rajaram Engineering
Corporation conspired to violate the International Emergency
Economic Powers Act (I.E.E.P.A.) and the Export Administration
Regulations (E.A.R.), a statement of the U.S. Department of
Justice said here.

It said Suresh and Rajaram Corporation caused the
export of approximately 25 shipments of controlled goods from
the U.S. to Listed Entities in India including V.S.S.C. that
comes under the Department of Space of the Government of
India.

These transactions involved more than 100 controlled
goods with an approximate value of USD 1,36,000, the
indictment said identifying six shipments to V.S.S.C. of
various controlled goods from 2002 through 2003.

"All of these transactions involved complex electronic
instruments used in high performance testing and monitoring.
These functions were essential in the research and development
of launching systems, to include missile delivery systems.

"The defendants knowingly failed to obtain or apply
for a license from the DOC authorising any of these
transactions," the indictment said.

The investigation revealed that Suresh conspired with
employees of an India-based subsidiary of Corporation-U.S.
(referred to in the indictment as "Corporation-India") to
circumvent the export control laws of the United States by
transshipping controlled goods through Rajaram to Listed
Entities within India.

It said the object of the conspiracy was to evade the
prohibitions and licensing requirements of the E.A.R. by
concealing the identify of the ultimate consignee of the
controlled goods, thereby creating a larger market for these
controlled goods resulting in increased corporate profits.

The Department of Commerce (D.O.C.) is responsible for
reviewing and controlling the export of certain goods and
technologies from the United States to foreign countries.

In an effort to protect the national security and
foreign policy of the United States, the D.O.C. restricted the
export of goods and technology to certain government,
quasi-governmental and private entities that the D.O.C.
determined to be involved in nuclear proliferation.

Such entities were identified on the D.O.C.'s Entity
List. Any export of the U.S. goods and technology required a
license from the DOC authorising such export. Failure to
obtain a license prior to the export was a criminal offence.

The defendants were also charged with four substantive
counts involving violations of I.E.E.P.A. and the E.A.R. PTI