Brothers posing as BARC scientists tried to illegally sell nuclear reactor ‘tech’

Duo allegedly placed lithium-6-based nuclear fusion reactor tech on grey market, even pitched to Iran; officials say design lacks empirical validation

- Ashish Singh

The lithium-6-based nuclear fusion reactor technology was allegedly offered for sale on the international grey market by brothers, Akhtar Hussaini Qutbuddin Ahmed, 60, and Adil Husaini, 59.

They have been arrested by the Mumbai crime branch and the Delhi special cell for allegedly impersonating scientists from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Trombay. The siblings are from Jharkhand's Jamshedpur with fake degrees in nuclear engineering.

Probe revealed that the duo used virtual private networks and encrypted channels to circulate classified lithium-6-based fusion reactor designs involving neutron absorption, tritium breeding and plasma confinement. They covertly contacted foreign research groups, offering blueprints and simulation codes as part of a claimed breakthrough in controlled thermonuclear fusion.

As per the investigation, both of them exploited underground scientific exchange forums and encrypted broker networks to grey market this sensitive technology to foreign entities under the guise of academic or research collaboration.