Defence Minister A K Antony’s office was allegedly bugged and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) called to probe the matter, claimed reports on Friday. The incident was detected on February 16 following which defence secretary Shashikant Sharma took up the matter with the IB.
A Press Information Bureau notification issued on Friday, however, denied reports of bugging in the South Block. “Routine checks are conducted in the offices of the Raksha Mantri (defence minister) and other officers in the South Block. Nothing has been found in these checks,” said the notification on the website.
Sources in the ministry told PTI on Friday the matter was brought to the notice by two Army personnel manning the telephone lines in the ministry. After this was brought to notice, ministry officials refused to get their phone lines checked by the Army personnel, they said.
The matter had come to light soon after the long-drawn battle between the Army and the defence ministry over the issue of General V K Singh's age came to rest following an intervention by the Supreme Court. Gen Singh was forced to withdraw his petition on February 10 when he was asked to accept May 10, 1950, as his date of birth.
The Army has not yet commented on the development.
Last year, a similar incident was reported from the office of finance minister Pranab Mukherjee when snooping devices allegedly were found from there. A inquiry was ordered by the finance ministry after adhesive-like substances were recovered from his office, raising suspicion that they might have been used to implant electronic listening devices.
"According to our information. There is no such thing. Defence Ministry is saying that it was a routine thing. No such thing has been found on the basis of which it can be said that any espionage was being done," Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi said.
He said since the issue is sensitive, further explanations can be given only by the Defence Ministry. Another party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi earlier said the facts in this regard were being ascertained and "certainly, if the facts turned out true, it is a very serious issue. Where the issue of national security is concerned, there can be no two thoughts. Let the facts be investigated. The Defence ministry will itself disclose details in this matter. If such facts come before us, you be assured, that proper action will be taken in the matter," he said.