A United States jury has found a Pennsylvania-based company guilty of charges of unlawful export of defence items to India.

A four-count indictment had earlier named Electro-Glass Products, as the sole defendant and charged the company of having sold and exported a total of 23,000 solder glass pre-forms to a subsidiary of state-owned Brat Electronics Limited in India.

The pre-forms are components of military night vision equipment.

The jury in Pittsburg found the corporation guilty and Assistant US Attorney Shaun E Sweeney, who prosecuted the case, indicated that the law provides for a maximum total sentence of five years probation, a fine of $1 million or both. The quantum of sentence will be pronounced on July 13.

Federal law requires a licence from the State Department to export the pre-forms, but Electro-Glass Products, which is in Norvelt in Pennsylvania, did not have such a licence.

According to the indictment, on May 30, 2003 electro-glass products exported 10,500 solder glass performs to BE-Delft Electronics.

Based in Pune, BE-Delft Electronics is a join venture of Bharat Electronics and Delft Instruments of the Netherlands. The company knowingly and wilfully exported defence articles designated on the United States Munitions List, without a licence for such exportation, the indictment said.

The second consignment of 4,000 solder glass performs was exported on February 11, 2004 to BEL Optronic Electronics, having the same official address as that of BEL-Delft Electronics.

On April 6, 2004 the third consignment of 4,000 solder glass performs was sent to BEL Optronic Electronics, which also received the fourth and final consignment of 4,500 such equipment sent on August 23, 2004.