CBI books South Delhi resident for 'misusing' names of PM Modi, his Principal Secretary

The CBI has booked a posh South Delhi colony resident who sent a flurry of emails to senior executives and scientists across government-owned defence firms, research bodies and even a top officer of the U.S. Navy, asserting that he wanted to develop a fighter aircraft engine for India and had the blessings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Claiming privileged access to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), Nisheeth Kohli, a resident of Vasant Kunj, said he wished to help the government of India develop an indigenous military jet engine.

Kohli described himself as a "textile chemistry engineer, a 2002 graduate from TITS (The Technological Institute of Textile and Sciences), Bhiwani" and offered sweeping assurances about his ability to contribute to advanced jet-engine development -- a field that typically demands decades of specialised expertise.

In the mails sent between October and December 2024, he approached Premier Explosives Ltd., the Aeronautical Development Establishment of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) and the High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), among others, the CBI FIR alleged.

To bolster his pitch, he invoked the name of Principal Secretary to the PM, P.K. Mishra, and asserted he enjoyed the "blessings and best wishes" of Prime Minister Modi, it alleged.

The CBI started an inquiry on a complaint from the Director in the PMO, A K Sharma, calling it a case of "misuse of the name" of the principal secretary and the prime minister himself for professional purposes.

The agency conducted an inquiry that traced a broad email trail originating from Kohli's personal Gmail account, with copies marked to senior officials, lending an air of bureaucratic legitimacy.

In one exchange on November 27, 2024, the then managing director of Premier Explosives, T.V. Chowdary, responded to Kohli's queries that day, despite having no prior acquaintance with him, the CBI alleged.

This mail was marked to the Director, ADE (Aeronautical Development Establishment), the Chairman (ISRO), and the AS office (ISRO) as well.

He claimed that he had the blessings and best wishes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to proceed with this project, to be managed through the ADE Director, DRDO, and that his credentials could be validated with P K Mishra at the PMO, New Delhi.

Kohli followed up with "thank-you" notes and further referrals, including a message suggesting coordination with other defence laboratories.

He sent an email to Vice Admiral George M Wikoff of the U.S. Navy at the Pentagon on December 8, 2024, with copies marked for Indian defence industry executives, including Chowdary, in what officials described as an imprudent attempt to internationalise his overtures.

The CBI has booked Kohli for offences of cheating under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The probe into his motives for sending emails on such a sensitive issue is in the initial stages, officials said.