Indian-origin expert Ashley Tellis accused of China meetings refutes allegations; to contest charges ‘vigorously’

Indian-origin expert Ashley Tellis, 64, who was arrested after accusations over China meetings and illegally keeping classified documents, refuted the allegations, his lawyers said on Wednesday, who stated they will be contesting charges “vigorously”, according to AFP.

In a statement, his lawyers Deborah Curtis and John Nassikas said, "Ashley J. Tellis is a widely respected scholar and senior policy advisor. We will be vigorously contesting the allegations brought against him, specifically any insinuation of his operating on behalf of a foreign adversary."

A criminal affidavit released on Tuesday stated that Tellis entered the State Department late on September 25 and seemed to print a classified document about US Air Force techniques. It also claimed that Tellis met several times with Chinese officials at a restaurant in Fairfax, Virginia, and during one dinner, he appeared to leave behind a manila envelope.

The charges mentioned by the Justice Department focus on the mishandling of documents, not the meetings themselves. An FBI special agent stated that a search of Tellis’s home discovered over 1,000 pages of top-secret or secret materials.

Who is Ashley Tellis?

Tellis has served as a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a prominent Washington think tank, which said on Wednesday that he has been placed on administrative leave. Originally from India and now a naturalised American, Tellis played a key role in negotiating the Bush administration’s civil nuclear cooperation agreement with India, a significant milestone in strengthening ties between the world’s two largest democracies.

Tellis served in high-level roles during George W. Bush's presidency and continued as an unpaid advisor to the State Department.

Officials from the US President Donald Trump administration, including Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, have pledged to take legal action against those who improperly handle classified information. Meanwhile, a Justice Department statement indicated if found guilty, he could face a prison sentence of up to 10 years and fined as much as $250,000.

As per Reuters, Lindsey Halligan, US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia said, "We are fully focused on protecting the American people from all threats, foreign and domestic. The charges as alleged in this case represent a grave risk to the safety and security of our citizens."

(With inputs from agencies)