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Parthasarathy Sudarshan, who ownes an international electronics business, was convicted of supplying the materials to the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) and the Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL).
The 47-year-old had acquired electrical components with applications in missile guidance and firing systems in the US and supplied to the entities between 2002 and 2006, according to court documents.
Sudarshan and others at his company, the Cirrus with offices in Simpsonville, South Carolina, Singapore and in Bangalore, provided US companies with fraudulent certificates that claimed the end-users of the electrical components were non-restricted entities in India, when, in fact, the items were for VSSC, it said.
There were no export licenses for any of the shipments to VSSC and BDL, which are on the Department of Commerce's Entity List. Both the Indian entities are involved in development of ballistic missiles, space launch vehicles, and fighter jets.
Exports of US-origin commodities to these entities are restricted and require prior authorisation in the form of a license from the Department of Commerce.
To further conceal from the US government that goods were going to entities in India on the Department of Commerce Entity List, Sudarshan would route the products through its Singapore office and then send the packages on to India, the documents said.
It has been pointed out by the Justice Department that Sudarshan also acquired microprocessors for the Tejas, a fighter jet under development in India. The microprocessors were necessary for the navigation and weapons systems of the Tejas. Because the microprocessors are on the US Munitions List, the State Department must license any export of the products.
On two occasions in 2004 and 2006, Cirrus caused the shipment of a total of 500 microprocessors to the Aeronautical Development Establishment, an enterprise within the Ministry of Defence of the Government of India responsible for the development of the Tejas. There were no licenses for these shipments.
The CEO is an American citizen(may be of Indian Origin)and he has taken oath of LOYALTY to America. What is funny is that America is selling much more sophisticated equipment to China!!!We are supposed to have NSS relationship with American government. But America behaves like an enemy nation denying things which it supplies to china routinely.This should be a lesson for those in India who sell their country for a few dollars more.What America DOES should be our guide and not routine sermon about greatness of Indian democracy.
This just shows the pathetic state of research and development in india! Last week india was shining showing 10% growth rate in the IT (coolie) sector. So why should we be stealing/smuggling electronic goods? Where is all the research money going?? IISc and IITs boasts of great research and so do the CSIR and DRDO labs. With millions of rupees in research budgets, they still steal and smuggle?? Are we just filled with hot gas when it comes to Science and Technology?? The govt is not waking up. Science and Tech have gone to dogs with IT shadowing them. All the bright minds are being pulled to IT where money glitters and they get promotions. This is the state of indian science. ISRO and VSSC, BDL and DRDO should be ashamed of using smuggled electonic goods from other countries! So the nation should know that all the missiles and aircrafts they have been boasting are not 100% self made! Shame on you guys! Govt wake up and give some encouragement to Science and Tech!!
How people in this forum who support this criminal Indian origin (American citizen) businessman in the name of patriotism will react if any neutralized Indian citizen of Pakistani or Bangladeshi origin would have done the same against the interest of India? Will you justify the same if an intelligence agent were caught doing the same? He should have thought about India while taking US citizenship (and revoking Indian citizenship). As an American citizen he should have protected the interest of USA. This guy, Parthasarathy Sudarshan changed citizenship for personal conveyance/comfort and has no loyalty towards either India or USA. If possible and if that enable him to make some money, such dudes will not hesitate to change parents.
The same businessmen will not hesitate to steal a new technology developed in India and file patent in US to have a bigger, more profitable market access. It has happened many times before. Almost all the multinationals doing crimes, corruptions in India (like Dow Chemicals in Bhopal) are managed by Indian managers, CEOs. Such industries, its CEOs and “damagers” (not managers) care only for personal profit, not even for the company or other employees. It’s almost impossible to have any selfless act of patriotism from this lot. Although they do use “patriotism” as a form of packaging to maximize their profits for a local market in a specific country.
It’s a pathetic argument that stilling, breaking laws are OK for one’s own mother land. If anyone is sincere towards his/her own motherland, then s/he will try to develop an idea abroad and implement in one’s own motherland. The best way to show patriotism is try to create a conducive environment for real Indian talents to develop new ideas and technology at home. There are many other ways too, to serve motherland. But nothing justifies breaking laws, cheating and falsifying documents. India is a third world country not for lack of technology or scientific knowledge; but all round corruption, bankrupt moral values, medieval law and order and judicial system, rule of mediocrity in every aspect of life, lack of accountability. That chap simply broke laws for profit, not for patriotism. Such industrialists and businessmen have no patriotism towards any country, be it India or USA. When they face problem in India, they exploit US and when face trouble in US, they exploit India.
What Sudarshan did for India is reportedly done by many people of different countries for their respective motherlands.However,such cases are rarely revealed, thanks to their governments.Indian government could have used its diplomatic channels well in time to avoid this embarassment.Perhaps they did, but could not succeed? Should CPM be thanked for this?
Why don’t you think that he did more than what reported? Indian govt might have successfully used diplomacy and reduced his crime and punishment.
Dear Sir,May be the Bush administartion is arm twisting our government to sign the treaty.Regards,v.c.krishnan
people side track issues here. the issue here is NOT about defense matters. Even if it is a tooth paste and if he breaks the patent and rules. people go to Jail. This is OK in India Mr. Parthasarathy Sudarshan. There are hundreds of Parthasarathy Sudarshans in India who copy from abroad and do business. Your name suggest that you should be amart. But looks like you belong to a different gene. Go to India and do as like other foreign returns Mr. Parthasarathy Sudarshan.
USA has done the right thing by punishing this corrupt businessman. This Indian origin businessman has knowingly broken the law and then tried to mislead Govt agencies with fake documents, as they always do in India, cheat people, evade laws, bribe officials and make the system more corrupt. I hope, just hope, Indian govt agencies and its corrupt businessman community will learn a few lessons from this episode.
There is no point in blaming US fro this. He has not followed the law of the land and he is facing the consequences of that. No valid points to link this with other matters like not to proceeds with nuclear deal, intervention by our PM only if Indian Muslims is convicted etc,etc.
Dear Editor,India should not proceed with the Nuclear Deal with US since they have convicted Parthasarathy.communist Party of India and BJP should protest against US actions on Indians.
Why should we protest? To support a criminal who knowingly broke the law of the land and then trying to misguide govt agencies? India need to learn the lesson and punish any person, more stringently for businessmen and industrialists who break the law of the land, cheat its employees and customers, bribe govt officials and produce false documents- almost always. US can dare to punish high profile CEOs (from companies like Enron and Worldcom) but no Indian politician or Govt official has honesty and guts to punish highly corrupt industrialists (like those from Reliance) and businessmen operating inside India.
Parthasarathy Sudarshan, USA is not right place to do these type of ilegal activities. come to india and do whatever you want.
Its wake up call for India and Indians. For the last several years, we heard about strong Indo-US relation on science and technology field. But when it comes to the action, they even deny Visas to attend conferences in the US. It is simply Govt of India's fault, not US. India still behaves like beggers, not as a powerful nation. India must learn from China and put into action. Now, we must re-examine the nuclear deal. US will blackmail India at every level and transform the country as US sub-ordinate state.
No sale to VSSC or any Government entity can be made without the knowledge of the Government purchase officials and the users. The users are the actual culprits. In such case Indian Govt should own the responsibilty and ensure that he is freed as what he did was for the country.
He should first do his Diploma in Nuke Smuggling and staying clean at AQK labs. He got jailed for a microprocessor. We gave the whole nuke design and yet free.
The materials exported by Cirrus to India couldn't be of a sensitive nature as the US Dept of commerce has the discretion to allow its sale to non-restricted entities. However,the export of these items without proper authorization might in the eyes of US law have consituted a violation, but the offence committed should hardly equal the enormity associated with espionage or the stealing of defense secrets. Surely US spies operated in India and had indeed made use of Indian intelligence personnel to spy against their own country and accorded refuge in the US? The sentencing of Parthasarathy to imprisonment belies the many freindly statements issued by US leaders of late of wanting to sell high tech military weapons and planes and to forge closer coperation on defense matters etc., with India.
And there are people running amok to sign a nuclear deal thinking that the US is going to provide dual use technology...
I fully agree with the concepts of Surya Mahadevan. The country's great leaders and bureaucracy have scant respect and regard for the toiling men which has made this country safe for them and their public and nothing better exemplifies it than the sixth pay commission recommendation where the cronies of the political establishment (called the Civil Service a vestige of the British which even the British have scrapped to a large extent) have a great deal of benefits and hardly anything for the Jawans, Scientists and Technicians at lower rungs of the government establishment in spite of the perilious nature of the work that they undertake. To expect this nation to come to help for any citizen at time of need (during service to nation) is a big myth (of course they will cheer the cricket team more than the soldiers). I must say its Parthasarathys mistake that he did what he did expecting that the nation will help him, sure only his family will suffer now.
Dear Parthasarathy,Our country 96% citizens are most unfortunate, as you know that in INDIA 2% People who are hired to deliver Government services which is Non Existent but posses STRUCTURE and Framework along with Statutory and Mandatory powers though INVISIBLE have colluded with 1% Politicians and 1% Anti Social Elements and combinely take granted entire 96% Indian Citizens. When 96% Indian citizens take INJURIES inflicted by the 4% day in and day out and pass on through the LIFE Cycle.What is Surprising is: How come Our MEA and Home Secretary have not demanded : DROP of Charges / Acquital of your goodselves and your company , when ever discussions are taking place between 2 countries. It so SAD to see Failure of our Govt Organizations in allowing the Contributor for DEFENCE Development of INDIA getting into hassles. I am not sure of the message reaching to Shri Abdul Kalam, I request Shri Abdul Kalam to take note and help Mr Partha Sarathy getting reprieve from Punishment.
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