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A US court has rejected the bail application of Singapore-based businessman Parthasarathy Sudarsan accused of violating numerous export control laws and shipping sensitive nuclear proliferation, missile and space technology equipment to India.

Judge Deborah Robinson also rejected the defence plea of shifting the case to South Carolina where the original arrests and charges have been made including that of a co-conspirator, Mythili Gopal, who has been granted bail on her own recognisance.

In a lengthy fifty minute hearing at the US District Court in Washington on Thursday, it was also revealed that Sudarshan is a passport holder of the Republic of Singapore, holding a valid passport of that country that expires in July 2014.

At the time of his arrest in South Carolina last month, the Federal Bureau of Investigation had seized his "expired" passport issued by the Republic of Singapore, his Defence Attorney Beattie Ashmore told in response to a query.

Led into the courtroom by a US Marshall in a orange jumpsuit with his hands clasped behind his back Sudarshan showed no emotion, only briefly consulting with his attorney from South Carolina at the start of the proceedings.

In his opening remarks, the US Attorney in charge of the case on Thursday Jay Bratt stressed the seriousness of the white collar crimes making the point that Sudarshan violated export controls pertaining to non proliferation, missile delivery systems and in general engaging in illegal activities.