Cong renews demand for probe by SC judge in Scorpene data leak

Congress today renewed it demand for a probe by a Supreme Court judge into the data leak of the Scorpene submarine project, saying that a cross-service security audit could only help unravel the truth.
"Why is the Modi Government not willing to accept a cross-service security audit. This incident can be a trigger for a holistic audit. Why is the Prime Minister shying away from a probe by a Supreme Court judge?" party spokesman Manish Tewari told reporters here.
He said that India might be facing a situation where the first submarine in the Scorpene fleet undergoing sea trials, stood compromised.

"We would like to know from the government as to why are they in a complete state of denial about the larger implications of this leak regarding India's national security," he said.
Noting that the "DNA" of any submarine is its opacity, he said every boat has a specific signature. "Experts have now said if details about that signature are in the public domain, then the security and safety of that submarine stands compromised," he said.
Tewari also sought to know whether the government has initiated some steps, under the terms of contract with the French maunfacturer DCNS, to mitigate the situation.

"Ever since the story broke, has the Modi govt asked DCNS that they had a contractual obligation to maintain secrecy?" he said.