(Image source from: Indianexpress.com)
Ashley J Tellis, a well-known expert in foreign policy and defense strategies who has Indian roots, has been arrested and accused of illegally holding secret national defense information, as stated by the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Tellis, 64, who is a senior fellow and Tata Chair for Strategic Affairs at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, was arrested over the weekend after a federal probe into how he managed sensitive government documents. Authorities claim that Tellis broke the law under 18 USC § 793(e), which forbids the unauthorized possession or storage of defense-related papers. Investigators are also looking into claims that Tellis took classified documents from secure areas and held discussions with Chinese officials.
US Attorney Lindsey Halligan revealed the charges in a news release, explaining that the actions in question represented "a serious threat to the safety and security of our citizens." If he is found guilty, Tellis could be sentenced to as much as 10 years in jail, face a fine of $250,000, and have to surrender the materials in question. The government pointed out that these charges remain just allegations and that Tellis is considered innocent until proven otherwise. Tellis is recognized as a prominent scholar and policy expert, long viewed as one of the leading authorities on South Asian security and the relationship between the US and India. He has held important positions in the US government, including as a senior adviser to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, where he significantly contributed to the negotiations for the US-India Civil Nuclear Agreement. He also worked on the National Security Council as a special assistant to President George W. Bush and served as senior director for strategic planning and Southwest Asia.
Prior to his government career, Tellis was a senior policy analyst and educator at the RAND Corporation. His significant range of academic work includes books like Striking Asymmetries: Nuclear Transitions in Southern Asia and Revising US Grand Strategy Toward China. He is affiliated with the Council on Foreign Relations and the International Institute for Strategic Studies, among other professional organizations. As reported by US media, investigators are also looking into Tellis's claimed interactions with Chinese officials during both professional and academic activities. While there is no indication of espionage at this time, prosecutors maintain that his holding on to classified files violated federal security rules. A federal judge will decide on the bond conditions later this week as the legal proceedings move forward.
