Snooping case: Def Ministry seeks clarifications from army

The ministry asked the army to clarify the reports suggesting that off-the-air-interceptors with the Technical Support Division set up in 2010 may have been destroyed, ministry sources said here.

The Army Headquarters maintained silence over the reports.

The off-the-air interceptors allegedly with the army had come to light last year when it was alleged that they were being used to snoop into conversations of Defence Ministry officials at the height of age controversy involving Gen V K Singh.

The army had earlier said it does not possess any such equipment and it is used by the Defence Intelligence Agency, which is directly under the command of the ministry.

The report about the destruction of such equipment has come at a time when the Ministry of Home Affairs has sought details from the army about any such interceptors with it.

The government was carrying out an audit of off-air interception equipment sold in India in the past decade, their deployment and ownership. In this course, it had asked all relevant government agencies for details of the equipment they hold.

Soon after taking over, Army Chief Gen Bikram Singh had ordered a Board of Officers under Director General Military Operations Lt Gen Vinod Bhatia to initiate the process of shutting down the secret spy unit.