War room case: Shankaran's extradition appeal rejected

A British court rejected the appeal by Ravi Shankaran, a key accused in the Naval War Room leak case, against his extradition to India after an assurance was given by the Central Bureau of Investigation that his bail will not be opposed once he is brought back to face trial.

Happy with the order of the Westminster Magistrates court in London on Wednesday, the CBI said on Thursday that the court there had been given an assurance that Shankaran's bail plea would not be opposed in a court of law in New Delhi.

The 48-year-old Shankaran, a relative of former Navy Chief Admiral Arun Prakash, had listed denial of bail in India among the reasons for opposing his extradition to this country, CBI sources said on Thursday.

However, after the court was given assurance, District Judge Nicholas Evans ruled on Wednesday that ‘a case to answer has been made out’ against the accused and that the Uninted Kingdom Home Secretary Theresa May may make the final decision on issuing an extradition order.

The CBI said plans were afoot to send a team to the UK to bring him back once all legal formalities of that country were completed as Shankaran, against whom an Interpol Red Corner notice had also been issued, may be opposing the decision of the British home secretary in the court there.

Judge Evans had clarified in the order that an appeal can now only be made on the decision of the secretary of state, who has two months from the date of the court ruling  to issue her order.

Justifying its stand not to oppose the bail plea of Shankaran, the CBI said he had been chargesheeted and all he required was to face the trial.