Report on NGOs: Udayakumar moves HC against IB official

Madras High Court today issued a notice to the Union Home Secretary on a petition by anti- nuclear activist SP Udayakumar seeking action against an Intelligence Bureau official for allegedly leaking a "secret" document on foreign funding of NGOs with a view to maligning him.
Justice M Satyanaranan ordered issuance of the notice when the petition by Udayakumar, who is co-coordinator of the People's Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE), came up for hearing. PMANE is spearheading the protest against the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant.
Udayakumar alleged that a Joint Director in IB had sent a report to the Union Home Ministry on June 3, 2014, entitled 'Concerted efforts by select foreign-funded NGOs to take down Indian Development Projects'.

Even though the report was marked "secret", the officer leaked it to the media with a view to maligning his reputation, Udayakumar has charged.
He further claimed that the official had committed an offence punishable under the Intelligence Organisations (Restriction of Rights) Act.
Udayakumar said he had sent a legal notice to the Union Home Secretary to take appropriate action against the IB officer, but no action had been initiated.