Scorpene leak: Congress for thorough probe, says 'don't pass the buck'

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, on Wednesday demanded a through probe into the leak of documents related to Scorpene submarine and asked Defence Minister Manohjar Parrikar not to take this issue lightly as it is related to the country's national security.

"Because this is concerned to the country's safety and security and therefore, enquiry should be conducted and how it has been done, who is responsible that should also be made known to the people of this country," Kharge added.

Another Congress leader Tom Vadakkan echoing similar sentiments said it is important that the Defence Minister doesn't take this matter lightly and an investigation is immediately ordered into the same.

"It's not enough to say that it's hacking and passing the buck. I think it is important because the defence of the country is involved. The Defence Minister must focus on such issues very importantly if it is something that concerns the security of the nation," he added.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar earlier today said that he has asked Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba to analyse the extent of the leak and find out whether it is related to India or not.

Parrikar further asserted that the leak is not 100 percent.

"It came to my knowledge at around 12 last night, and what I understand is that there is a hacking. So, we will find out all these aspects," he added.

Parrikar further said that in the next couple of days they will come out with more information.

On Tuesday, a report in Australian media revealed that sensitive information related to India's Scorpene submarines has been leaked, with French shipbuilder DCNS, which designed the submarine, facing a leak of documents spreading over 22,000 pages.

According to The Australian, the leak details the entire secret combat capability of the six Scorpene-class submarines that French shipbuilder DCNS has designed for the Indian Navy.

As per reports, the leak includes details of the submarine's underwater sensors, above-water sensors, combat management system, torpedo launch system and specifications, communications system and navigation systems.

Meanwhile, the Indian Navy has said the source of the leak appears to be from overseas and not in India.