AFT Suspends Remaining Sentence of Ex-Army Man Convicted in Pakistan Spy Case

The Chandigarh Bench of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) has suspended the remaining sentence of former Army personnel Ramandip Attri, who was convicted by a General Court Martial (GCM) for allegedly passing sensitive military information to a Pakistan-based intelligence operative in exchange for money.

A Bench comprising Justice Sudhir Mittal and Lieutenant General (Retd) Ravendra Pal Singh allowed Attri’s plea and ordered his release on bail while his appeal remains pending. In its order dated October 16, the tribunal noted that he had already undergone more than one-third of his four-year sentence in custody and that the appeal was unlikely to be heard soon.

“Thus, in the interest of justice, the remaining sentence of the appellant is suspended during the pendency of the appeal,” the tribunal said.

Attri was convicted by the General Court Martial on May 5, 2025, and awarded dismissal from service along with four years of rigorous imprisonment. He has challenged the entire court martial process, including the charge sheet, convening order, findings and sentence.

The tribunal had admitted his appeal on August 5 and, at that stage, made a prima facie observation on the limitation issue. “We are prima facie satisfied that the trial is barred by limitation in this case,” the Bench had observed while taking up the appeal.

The case has now been listed for further proceedings on April 9, 2027.

Allegations involving sharing of classified documents

According to the prosecution, Attri was attached to an infantry unit when he allegedly came into contact with a Pakistan-based intelligence operative identified as Baba Badhava through his childhood friend Harpal Singh, who is said to have acted as an India-based handler.

The prosecution alleged that Attri shared three official documents with Singh, knowing that the material would be passed on to the Pakistan-based operative. The documents were said to include a letter mentioning the date of the Pulwama attacks, a PDF file containing the names of Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, and a letter carrying telephone numbers of the Regiment of Artillery Records.

He was charged under provisions of the Army Act and the Prevention of Corruption Act. The prosecution’s case was that he received Rs 15,000 in return for sharing the information.

Defence questions limitation and evidence

Challenging both the conviction and the proceedings, Attri’s counsel, advocate Rajesh Sehgal, argued that the trial itself was barred by limitation. The defence submitted that the alleged offence occurred on January 2, 2021, and that the commanding officer became aware of Attri’s alleged role on February 2, 2021.

Despite that, the General Court Martial proceedings were initiated only on February 25, 2025, according to the defence. The counsel argued that such a delay raised serious questions about the legality of commencing the trial under the applicable limitation provisions.

The defence also disputed the judicial confession recorded on November 16, 2024. It pointed to the alleged absence of copies of the classified documents, direct communication records between Attri and the Pakistan-based operative, and any recovery or documentary proof supporting the alleged payment.

Another point raised by the defence was an alleged mismatch in the amount of money involved. While the charge sheet referred to Rs 15,000, the investigating officer’s testimony reportedly mentioned Rs 50,000.

These arguments form part of Attri’s broader challenge to the court martial proceedings and the conviction. The tribunal’s observations at the admission stage and its decision to suspend the remaining sentence do not amount to a final ruling on the appeal or on the allegations against him.

With the remaining sentence suspended, Attri has been granted bail pending the outcome of the appeal before the Armed Forces Tribunal. The matter will now return to the tribunal on April 9, 2027, when the challenge to the court martial proceedings and conviction will continue to be examined.