Indian-American policy expert and prominent scholar Ashley Tellis, who was arrested in the US on October 11, has been granted pre-trial release. According to an official Justice Department news release, the 64-year-old US citizen was taken into custody in “connection with his alleged unlawful retention of classified national defence information.” He ultimately appeared in the Eastern District of Virginia for a detention hearing on Tuesday, October 21, (US time).

Subsequently, a Virginia court has since ordered that the Indian-origin US citizen be released from custody and be placed under home detention instead ahead of the trial proceedings tied to the high-profile espionage case. As initially reported by the New Indian Abroad, the longtime US government advisor on South Asia appeared before Judge Lindsey Robinson Vaala on October 21. His release upholds several conditions, including his passport being surrendered and travel restrictions, while he remains under constant supervision.

Indian American scholar Ashley Tellis released on $1.5m bond – ‘Not a flight risk’

To make the decision official, Tellis’ wife, Dhun, co-signed a $1.5 million bond, which was, in turn, backed his family’s home. A memorandum penned by Tellis’ team in support of his pretrial release asserted that the 64-year-old PhD is “far from being a danger of flight risk.”

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It further stated, “He is presumed innocent of the charge of unlawful retention of national defence information. Any insinuation that Dr Tellis has disclosed classified information–let alone to a foreign government–lack any evidentiary basis.

“Regrettably, investigators appeared to interpret his routine professional duties, such as liaison work and international travel, as clandestine activity, reading something sinister into what were standard think-tank and scholarly foreign policy engagements, Finally Dr Tellis’ medical condition further underscore that he posed no risks of flight.”

While digging deeper into his medical condition, the official record disclosed that he had recently dealt with cardiac-related symptoms. And so, he had pay visits to the emergency room, as medical investigations ensued in the past several weeks. Some of these cardiology evaluations have even been scheduled in the Washington DC area in late October and mid-November.

Ashley Tellis received gifts, but didn’t indicate undue influence, bribery: Release memo

The official document further went on to reveal that the FBI had asked Ashley Tellis whether he had received any gifts from foreign nationals, as they were searching his residence on October 11.

The Indian American scholar admitted to the same, detailing that he often got “small tokens of appreciation, such as gifts of tea.” The memo also explained that Tellis’ position as a Special Government Employee with a focus on South Asian foreign policy required him to regularly meet up with foreign diplomats, military officials and others of the like.

Over the years, his role has prompted him to liaise with officials from several countries like Australia, China, France, Germany, India, Israel, Japan, Pakistan, Russia (pre-invasion of Ukraine), and the United Kingdom. At times, such interactions were requested by the US Department of Defences and Presidential administrations.

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In addition to the admission that he received gifts at time, the docs emphasised that such tokens were not representative of “undue influence, bribery, or illicit conduct, particularly when low in monetary value.” Tellis, on his part, presented frequent token of the kind as well in the form of his own published reports, monographs or books to his guests.

“Dr Tellis’ job requires him to meet with foreign officials and the offer and acceptance of token gifts–like a bag of teas–is to be expected,” the memo added.

The next hearing in Tellis’ case is slated for November 4, 2025. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $250,000.