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Ashley Tellis has been associated with the US State Department since 2001.
Indian-origin US State Department senior advisor Ashley Tellis was arrested on October 12. According to media reports, he is accused of keeping confidential documents related to the country’s security and having secret meetings with Chinese officials.
The FBI has found more than 1,000 pages of secret documents from 64-year-old Tellis’ Virginia home. If found guilty, they could face 10 years in jail and a fine of $2.5 lakh (about Rs 2 crore).
Tellis’ hearing will be held in a Virginia court. There is little possibility of him getting bail, because the matter is related to national security.
Tellis was due to travel to Rome on 12 October, but was arrested en route.
Allegation- Extracted secret documents from Defense Ministry
The FBI says Tellis extracted secret documents from the State Department and the Defense Department in September-October 2025. These included information about Air Force planning, new technologies (such as Artificial Intelligence) and military aircraft.
The FBI searched Tellis’ Virginia home on October 12. Many secret documents were found there, which were not kept properly. Tellis was scheduled to travel to Rome with his family that day, but was arrested.
The affidavit filed in the court states that Tellis had come out to a restaurant on September 15, 2022 with an envelope, but did not have the envelope with him when he left.
During the meeting, he was heard discussing Iran-China and America-Pakistan relations with Chinese officials. He also received a red bag as a gift from the Chinese authorities.
Telis had access to sensitive information
Tellis had a ‘Top Secret’ security clearance, which gave him access to sensitive information. Although it has not yet been proven that he handed over any documents to Chinese authorities, the meetings raise suspicions of espionage.
US Attorney Lindsay Halligan of the Eastern District of Virginia said – These allegations are a serious threat to the safety of American citizens. We will strictly follow the law.
Ashley Tellis (first from left) during a book launching event with Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in 2022.
Advisor to the US State Department since 2001
Mumbai-born Ashley Tellis is counted among America’s leading defense experts. He has been an advisor to the US State Department since 2001. He played an important role in the US-India nuclear deal signed in 2008, which strengthened the relations between the two countries.
Tellis worked with former President George W. Bush and current President Donald Trump.
Tellis spoke to the media when Trump imposed 50% tariffs on India in August. He had said that Trump feels that he has not got the credit for India-Pakistan ceasefire.
- Since 2001, he became an advisor without salary in the US State Department.
- Worked for the Pentagon’s ‘Office of Net Assessment’ (now ‘Department of War’). This think tank estimates security threats.
- Senior Fellow on ‘Tata Chair’ in Carnegie Think Tank.
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