Sanjay Kaushik, a 58-year-old businessman from Delhi, was sentenced by US courts to 2.5 years (30 months) in prison followed by 3 years (36 months) of supervised release after he was caught trying to sell manned aircraft components and a navigation and flight control system to end users in Russia.
According to an official report by the United States Department of Justice’s Office of Public Affairs last week, Kaushik was convicted on January 15 of “conspiracy to illegally export aircraft parts from Oregon (USA) to Russia.”
Events developed as follows:
Here’s how the ‘fake civilian helicopter’ deal landed Delhi-based businessman Sanjay Kaushik in a US jail.
Indian in US jail: What will happen to Sanjay Kaushik?
Documents showed the trial began in early September 2023. The US Department of Justice charged Kaushik with violating the Export Control Reform Act, and a federal court sentenced the 58-year-old to 30 months in federal prison and 36 months of supervised release.
- On November 20, 2024, Kaushik was indicted by a federal grand jury in Portland on three counts of conspiracy and attempting to export products in violation of the Export Control Reform Act and Export Administration Regulations.
- The indictment alleges that he specifically attempted to illegally export a navigation and flight control system from Oregon to Russia via India and made false statements in connection with the export.
- On October 9, 2025, Kaushik pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to sell export-controlled dual-use civil/military aircraft components to end users in Russia.
Deputy Attorney General for National Security John A Eisenberg said in a statement that those who “plan to circumvent US export control laws – particularly when it involves technology with military applications – will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law”.
