Washington, Dec 3 (NationPress) The US government has petitioned a federal court in Virginia to implement stringent regulations on classified materials in the criminal case involving Indian American strategic analyst Ashley J. Tellis, whose recent arrest has generated significant concern within the policy and academic communities of Washington’s South Asian populace.

In a recent submission to the Eastern District of Virginia, federal prosecutors argued that the court is obligated under the Classified Information Procedures Act (CIPA) to “issue an order to safeguard against the disclosure of any classified information provided by the United States to any defendant in any criminal case in a district court of the United States.”

They informed the judge that the proposed protective order is essential “to safeguard national security” and would govern discovery “by limiting the use and distribution of classified documents and information acquired through discovery.”

Earlier in November, Tellis was apprehended in Northern Virginia following a federal investigation into his alleged management of classified materials. He appeared before a magistrate judge shortly after his arrest.

A respected figure within the Indian-American policy landscape, Tellis has been a prominent participant in discussions regarding US–India relations, Asian security, and America’s strategic role in the Indo-Pacific region. His contributions to government and his written works have established him as a well-regarded voice in Washington’s think tanks and academic circles.

According to court documents, Tellis and his legal representatives have examined the order and initially agreed to proceed under its stipulations.

The government noted that “the defense consents to its terms for now, with the expectation that this consent will expedite the production of some classified documents.” Nonetheless, Tellis’s legal team has expressed “concerns about specific provisions of this order.”

The filing indicates that the defense “reserves its right to contest any decision by the government to deny access, for defense counsel or for the defendant, to certain classified documents.”

Tellis’s legal representatives will be required to review any such materials within a Secure Area, a government-sanctioned facility that is prohibited from hosting regular conversations or electronic communications. “No classified documents, materials, recordings, or other information may be removed from the Secure Area without authorization from the CISO,” states the order. Discussions involving classified information are not permitted over phone, email, or the internet.

Tellis himself remains bound by a “continuing contractual obligation to the government not to disclose to any unauthorized person classified information known to him or in his possession,” and the government “is entitled to enforce that agreement.”