Nagpur: After spending seven years behind bars, former BrahMos Aerospace scientist Nishant Agarwal walked out of the Nagpur Central Prison on Tuesday evening, pausing briefly at the exit to bow in gratitude before leaving with his father-in-law. Recently acquitted of espionage charges relating to the alleged leak of sensitive missile technology to Pakistani intelligence operatives, Agarwal said he leaves prison with no bitterness.
“Finally, justice was delivered to me and my family. The jail administration was fair, there’s nothing to complain about,” he said moments after his release.
Gold Rate
03 dec 2025
A division bench of Justice Anil Kilor and Justice Pravin Patil ruled that the prosecution failed to establish criminal intent or knowledge of compromising national security, both essential ingredients under Section 3(2) of the Official Secrets Act (OSA). The court highlighted testimony from witnesses, including senior scientists, who described Agarwal as a dedicated professional with an impeccable service record.
During his tenure at BrahMos, Agarwal had worked on highly classified missile projects, forming part of the core team responsible for delivering 70–80 BrahMos missiles to the armed forces between 2014 and 2018. Despite having full access to top-secret data, the court noted that there was no evidence he copied, transferred or attempted to share such information. “Had there been any intent to transfer confidential data, he could have copied those documents onto his personal device,” the judges observed.
The now-dismissed charges stemmed from allegations that Agarwal communicated on Facebook with Pakistani intelligence handlers posing as women. However, the bench found no incriminating conversations, noting that he merely accepted friend requests from accounts named Pooja Ranjan and Neha Sharma, while chats with a profile identified as ‘Sejal Kapoor’ related solely to job enquiries in the UK. The court emphasised that using social media or exploring employment opportunities is not forbidden.
Witnesses confirmed that his annual performance ratings consistently ranged from “very good” to “outstanding”, and he was recommended for the Young Scientists Award in 2017. The judges also pointed out that no adverse input was submitted by the Intelligence Bureau or any other national security agency.
While quashing convictions including a 14-year sentence under the IT Act for cyber terrorism, the bench upheld a three-year sentence awarded for negligence related to lack of caution on social media.
As Agarwal begins rebuilding his life, his legal battle, long nights in custody, and eventual exoneration underline a sobering reminder about the damage a wrong accusation can inflict, even on the country’s brightest defence minds.
