Cirrus President Pleads Guilty for Sales to Indian Missile Programs

Parthasarathy Sudarshan, president of Cirrus Electronics pleaded guilty to felony charges of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the Export Administration Regulations, and to violate the Arms Export Control Act and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. Sudarshan faces up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and a maximum of three years supervised release.

Cirrus Electronics, an international electronics firm holds office in the United States, Singapore, and India. Sudarshan held himself as the company’s CEO and used the company to illegally export controlled microprocessors and electronic components to Indian state entities involved in developing ballistic missiles, space launch vehicles, and fighter jets. In particular the company sent US technology to Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) and Bharat Dynamics, Ltd. (BDL), both companies are on the Department of Commerce’s Entity List and any exports to these entities are restricted. Cirrus Electronics provided their US vendors with fraudulent certificates that claimed that the end users of these electrical components were non-restricted entities in India, when in fact they were not. Sudarshan also made sure to route the products through its Singapore office and then send the packages on to India to further conceal any misconduct from the US government.

Sudarshan is scheduled to be sentenced on June 16, 2008.

More information:

• DOJ News Release (PDF)