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Bombay High Court Overturns Life Sentence of Former BrahMos Scientist

In a significant legal development, the Bombay High Court has overturned the life sentence of Nishant Agarwal, a former scientist at BrahMos Aerospace, who was convicted under the Official Secrets Act. The court found insufficient evidence to prove that Agarwal acted against national interests, although his conviction for negligence was upheld. This ruling comes after more than seven years since his arrest for allegedly spying for the Pakistani intelligence agency ISI. The court's decision raises questions about the prosecution's case and the handling of sensitive information.
By Narendra Chaudhary Dec 3, 2025, 10:12 IST

Court Ruling on Nishant Agarwal's Case

After more than seven years since his initial arrest and the filing of a case under the Official Secrets Act (OSA), the Bombay High Court's division bench has annulled the life sentence of former BrahMos Aerospace scientist Nishant Agarwal. The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court stated that Agarwal did not act against national interests in the espionage case.

However, the court upheld Agarwal's conviction for negligence.


In June of the previous year, a sessions court sentenced Nishant Pradeep Kumar Agarwal, a former engineer at BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited, to life imprisonment. He was arrested in 2018 on charges of spying for the Pakistani intelligence agency ISI.


The High Court, while partially overturning Agarwal's conviction, noted that the prosecution failed to present any evidence indicating that he posed a threat to "the unity, integrity, security, or safety of India" or that he spread terror within society.

The bench, comprising Justices Anil Kilor and Praveen Patil, cleared Agarwal of major charges under the Information Technology Act and the Official Secrets Act, thereby nullifying his life sentence. Nonetheless, the bench maintained Agarwal's conviction under Section 5(1)(D) of the OSA, which pertains to negligence and failure to adequately safeguard sensitive information.