By IANS
New Delhi : A city court Friday ordered in-camera trial against Major General (retd) V.K. Singh, a former top official of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), for allegedly using classified information in his book.
Additional Sessions Judge Rakesh Kapoor allowed the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) plea of beginning the trial in-camera as the “nature of the sensitivity” of the information in the book was detrimental to the security of the country.
Earlier this week, the court reserved its order over the matter.
Arguing before the court, counsel for Singh Anoop Khullar claimed that the CBI was keen on an in-camera trial because of the “sensitive” reports appearing in various newspapers.
Singh, a former joint secretary in the Research and Analysis Wing, wrote the book “India’s External Intelligence: Secrets of RAW”.
Khullar claimed that the book exposed several lacunae in the functioning of the RAW, the most glaring being the anomalies in the procurement of equipment, lack of accountability and dependence on foreign sources.
He argued the media had every right to report the proceedings.
Singh, earlier this week, moved an application in the court fearing that the documents that can prove his innocence could be damaged.
The court then issued notice to the CBI returnable April 17.
Singh said the documents of all purchases of some hardware and software programmes made by the RAW and other documents pertaining to the deals mentioned in his book should be preserved.
Khullar alleged the CBI booked Singh under the Official Secrets Act for writing a book that is available in the market and is not banned.
The investigating agency Sep 19 last year registered a case against Singh for allegedly violating Section 5 (wrongful communication of information) of the Official Secrets Act.
The CBI raided Singh’s house last September after the government filed a complaint with the probe agency.
Last month, a draft for a charge sheet against Singh was sent to the home ministry for perusal and it will soon be submitted before the designated court.