Budget inputs among secret files stolen from ministries

February 21, 2015

New Delhi, Feb 21: Draft papers for the Union Budget to be presented on February 28, government documents on ONGC Videsh and, petroleum and natural gas opportunities in Sri Lanka are among the highly classified files stolen from the offices of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry in central Delhi’s Shastri Bhawan.

Stolen ministries

On Friday, police arrested seven more people in the case related to corporate espionage. Former journalist Santanu Saikia, energy consultant Prayas Jain, Shailesh Saxena of Reliance Industries, Vinay Kumar of Essar, K K Naik of Cairn India, Subhash Chandra of Jubilant Energy and Rishi Anand of Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group were also arrested.

Saikia is associated with an energy portal Indianpetro. com, while Jain is associated with an oil and gas firm based in New Delhi and Melbourne. Others have been accused of buying the leaked documents, analysing them and selling them off to corporate houses. The arrests in the case made by police have reached 12.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sanjay Khanagwal of the Patiala House Court in central Delhi remanded Shantanu, Prayas, Lalta and Rakesh in the custody of the crime branch until February 23. The remaining accused have been sent to 14-day judicial custody.

The crime branch on Friday took some of the accused to Shastri Bhawan as part of its investigation. Police told the court that Santanu and Prayas gave Rs 70,000 to Lalta and Rakesh every month for procuring the documents. “Lalta and Prayas were on their pay role,” police told court.

The documents were shared with corporate houses and had details of policies related to oil pricing as well as imports. The FIR filed by crime branch police on Wednesday said the documents were recovered from Lalta Prasad and his brother Rakesh Kumar. “Seven documents were recovered from a black bag carried by Lalta, while nine documents were recovered from a brown envelope carried by Rakesh on February 17,” said Joint Commissioner of Delhi Police (Crime) Ravindra Yadav.

Others have been accused of buying the leaked documents, analysing them and selling them off to corporate houses. The arrests in the case made by police have reached 12.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sanjay Khanagwal of the Patiala House Court in central Delhi remanded Shantanu, Prayas, Lalta and Rakesh in the custody of the crime branch until February 23. The remaining accused have been sent to 14-day judicial custody.

The crime branch on Friday took some of the accused to Shastri Bhawan as part of its investigation. Police told the court that Santanu and Prayas gave Rs 70,000 to Lalta and Rakesh every month for procuring the documents. “Lalta and Prayas were on their pay role,” police told court.

The documents were shared with corporate houses and had details of policies related to oil pricing as well as imports.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
June 18,2020

New Delhi, Jun 18: The Delhi High Court Thursday asked the Delhi Police to file status report on a plea by Jamia Coordination Committee member Safoora Zargar, who was arrested under the anti-terror law --UAPA -- seeking bail in a case related to communal violence in northeast Delhi during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act in February.

Zargar, M Phil student of Jamia Millia Islamia University, is more than four months pregnant.

Justice Rajiv Shakdher issued notice to the police and asked it to file a status report on the bail plea.

The high court listed the matter for further hearing on June 22.

Zargar, who was arrested by the Special Cell of Delhi Police on April 10, has challenged the June 4 order of the trial court denying her bail in the case.

The trial court, in its order, had said “when you choose to play with embers, you cannot blame the wind to have carried the spark a bit too far and spread the fire.”

It had said that during the course of investigation a larger conspiracy was discernible and if there was prima evidence of conspiracy, acts and statements made by any one of the conspirators, it is admissible against all.

The court had said that even if there was no direct act of violence attributable to the accused (Zargar), she cannot shy away from her liability under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

However, the trial court had asked the concerned jail superintendent to provide adequate medical aid and the assistance to Zargar.

The police had earlier claimed that Zargar allegedly blocked a road near Jaffrabad metro station during the anti-CAA protests and instigated people that led to the riots in the area.

It further claimed that she was allegedly part of the “premediated conspiracy” to incite communal riots in northeast Delhi in February.

Communal clashes had broken out in northeast Delhi on February 24 after violence between citizenship law supporters and protesters spiralled out of control leaving at least 53 people dead and scores injured.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
March 29,2020

New Delhi, Mar 29: The Centre on Sunday asked state governments and Union Territory administrations to effectively seal state and district borders to stop movements of migrant workers during lockdown, officials said.

During a video conference with Chief Secretaries and DGPs, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba and Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla asked them to ensure that there is no movement of people across cities or on highways as the lockdown continues.

"There has been movement of migrant workers in some parts of the country. Directions were issued that district and state borders should be effectively sealed," a government official said.

States were directed to ensure there is no movement of people across cities or on highways.

Only movement of goods should be allowed.

District Magistrates and SPs should be made personally responsible for implementation of these directions, the official said.

Adequate arrangements for food and shelter of poor and needy people including migrant labourers be made at the place of their work, the official said.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
March 24,2020

Gautam Buddh Nagar, Mar 24: As many as 96 First Information Reports (FIRs) were registered and more than 2000 challans issued in Noida yesterday for violation of lockdown rules, police said. The lockdown was imposed in a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus, which has taken more than 14000 lives across the globe.

The FIRs were registered against people for allegedly flouting Section 144 and not adhering to the orders of the state government for staying indoors.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday stated that all borders adjoining Uttar Pradesh should be completely sealed.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.