My son is innocent: Mother of Corporal Nikhil Shende

 

 

LEELA Murlidhar Shende, mother of Corporal (Cpl) Nikhil Shende, who was allegedly attempted to be ensnared by Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) in a honeytrap said, “My son is patriot and innocent in the matter which is being probed by the Anti-Terrorism Squad.”

A native of Nagpur, Cpl Nikhil Shende is presently posted at Indian Air Force (IAF) Station in Bengaluru. His name appeared on the record of the ATS during the probe after the arrest of Dr Pradeep Kurulkar, Senior Scientist, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in an espionage case, a few days ago. Cpl Nikhil Shende’s mother said that her son did BA II year and joined the IAF in 2015. He was first posted to Bengaluru and then transferred to Patna. He was again transferred to Bengaluru. Leela Shende said her son was an excellent athlete and won medals and trophies in various competitions. “I came to know that he is being quizzed by the ATS from my brother-in-law after some newspapers published the news,” she added. She said that she and her entire family were confident that her son would never indulge in such anti-national activities.

DRDO scientist Dr Kurulkar was honey trapped by one Zara Das Gupta at the behest of Pakistani intelligence agencies. The ATS investigating the case had told a Special Court in Pune that Pakistan’s ISI had also attempted to ensnare Cpl Nikhil Shende in a honey trap. He was also quizzed by senior IAF officers and his statement was also recorded in the court. However, Cpl Shende was not so far implicated as an accused in the case. Investigations revealed that the messages sent to Kurulkar and Cpl Shende originated from Pakistani IP addresses.