Indian in US charged with conspiracy

An Indian engineer has been charged by federal prosecutors in Pennsylvania, United States, with conspiring to ship to the United Arab Emirates graphite products that could be used for nuclear or military purposes.

According to federal authorities, 39-year-old Manoj Bhayana worked with another person and three companies, all unnamed to conceal the origin of the graphite products sent to a trading company in the Emirates.

Bhayana is accused of falsifying shipping documents indicating the graphite products were provided by a particular company when he knew they had not been.

"Had these documents not been falsified, the graphite could not have been shipped from the US," The Pittsburgh Tribune Review quoted American Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan as saying. Some graphite materials are used in nuclear reactors.

Military uses for graphite include blocking electromagnetic waves used by the enemy to detect troops.

Bhayana, who is not in custody, faces up to five years in prison and a fine of USD 250,000, if convicted.