Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Oct 15: Ashley J Tellis, a renowned Indian-origin foreign policy scholar and defence strategist, has been arrested in the United States on charges of unlawfully retaining classified national defence information. The arrest was confirmed by the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Tellis, 64, who serves as a Senior Fellow and Tata Chair for Strategic Affairs at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, was taken into custody over the weekend following a federal probe into his handling of sensitive government material. Prosecutors have accused him of violating 18 USC § 793(e), a law that prohibits unauthorised possession or retention of defence-related documents.
According to officials, investigators are also examining claims that Tellis removed classified documents from secure facilities and held meetings with Chinese officials.
US Attorney Lindsey Halligan, while announcing the charges, stated that Tellis’s actions “posed a grave risk to the safety and security of our citizens.” If found guilty, he could face up to 10 years in prison, a fine of USD 250,000, and forfeiture of the materials involved. Authorities, however, emphasised that the charges are allegations and that Tellis remains presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
A distinguished academic and policy expert, Tellis is widely respected in Washington’s strategic circles for his deep understanding of South Asian security and US-India relations. He has held key positions in the US government, including serving as senior adviser to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, where he played a pivotal role in shaping the historic US-India Civil Nuclear Agreement.
Tellis also served as special assistant to former US President George W. Bush and as senior director for strategic planning and Southwest Asia on the National Security Council. Prior to his government service, he worked as a senior policy analyst and professor at the RAND Corporation.
An accomplished author, Tellis has penned several influential works, including Striking Asymmetries: Nuclear Transitions in Southern Asia and Revising US Grand Strategy Toward China. He is a member of several prestigious international think tanks, including the Council on Foreign Relations and the International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Meanwhile, US media reports indicate that investigators are scrutinising Tellis’s professional and academic interactions with Chinese counterparts. While officials have not alleged espionage, prosecutors maintain that his retention of classified documents constitutes a serious breach of national security protocols.