Ashley Tellis, a prominent Indian-origin US defense expert and scholar, has been arrested on serious charges related to the unlawful retention of classified national defense documents. Tellis, 64, who has advised multiple US administrations and held top secret security clearances, was found to possess over 1,000 pages of sensitive government records at his home in Vienna, Virginia. According to FBI investigations, these documents were illegally printed and stored in various places including locked cabinets and trash bags within his residence.

Tellis has a notable background as a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and served on the National Security Council under former President George W. Bush. He played a key role in US-India relations, notably influencing civil nuclear deal negotiations. Despite his respected position as a defense strategist and policy advisor, investigators have uncovered troubling evidence that he accessed and printed classified documents related to military aircraft capabilities and other secret programs, which he subsequently concealed.

The FBI affidavit details surveillance capturing Tellis entering highly secure areas of the Defense and State Department buildings, printing multiple top secret files, and transporting them in a leather briefcase. Amongst the allegations is that Tellis met several times with Chinese government officials, including an incident where he was seen arriving at a private dinner carrying a manila envelope that was missing when he left.

The US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia has charged Tellis under federal law for unauthorized possession and retention of national defense information. If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison, significant fines, and forfeiture of the classified materials. The government stresses that these are allegations and Tellis remains presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

This case highlights deep concerns about insider threats within the US national security apparatus, showing that even trusted advisors with long-standing careers and high-level clearances can breach protocol and jeopardize sensitive information. It also underscores the delicacy of US-China relations and the intense scrutiny on any interactions between US officials and Chinese representatives, especially involving classified data.

Ashley Tellis is highly regarded for his expertise in Indo-Pacific security and has been a significant voice in shaping US policy toward India over the past two decades. His arrest marks a startling development in the intelligence community and national security circles, drawing attention to the ongoing challenges of safeguarding classified information in an era of geopolitical tension and cyber vulnerability. This unfolding situation will be closely watched for its implications on policy, intelligence oversight, and the integrity of advisory roles in US defense and foreign policy-making spheres. The potential fallout may encourage stricter protocols for document handling and background checks among senior government advisors.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from NDTV.