Bug scare in Defence Ministry

Reports of a bugging device being recovered from the office of Defence Minister AK Antony on Friday prompted the Defence Ministry to quickly refute the speculations. However, after the reports Antony cancelled his previously scheduled visit to Hyderabad.

The Defence Ministry termed the sweeping of the Defence Minister’s office by Intelligence Bureau sleuths as a routine check-up and denied reports that it turned up a bugging device. Antony cancelled his visit to Hyderabad to hand-over an indigenous missile to Air Force was ostensibly put off because of civic elections in the city.

Defence Ministry spokesperson Sitanshu Kar in a brief release said: “Reports of ‘bugging’ in South Block in a section of the media are hereby denied.  Routine checks are conducted in the offices of Raksha Mantri (Defence Minister) and other officers in South Block.  Nothing has been found in these checks.”

Earlier media reports had suggested that during a Military Intelligence sweeping of Antony’s office a loose pin-like bugging device was spotted. Following this, the defence ministry fearing the Army spying on it summoned IB to deal with the situation.  It was also reported that considering the trust deficit between the Defence establishment and Army Chief General VK Singh after the age row, Defence Secretary called in the IB.

Army was also quick to refute the report. “The report that has appeared regarding the bug in the Defence Minister’s office is totally false. The article is fictitious,” Army said in a statement.

Sources while accepting that the Army’s Military Intelligence and IB sweeps the offices in the Defence Ministry from time-to-time, confirmed that the last such check by IB was carried out about a fortnight ago. The check was part of the IB’s unannounced checks done as counter-measure against spying. However, they contended that nothing like a ‘bugging’ device was found and no inquiry has been ordered in the episode.

As slew of big ticket defence deals reach crucial stages, the bugging scare would have raised questions on the acquisition process. In the recent times multi-billion dollar contract for 126 fighter jets has seen countries like UK, Germany, France, US, Russia and Sweden involved in a fierce battle. On many a occasions, the vendor losing out in a contract has tried to throw spanner in the deal by resorting to vicious means like sending an anonymous complaint.

Last year, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had asked for a probe after traces of adhesives at 16 places in his office in 2010 sparked concerns of the ministry being spied on. The Finance Minister had, however, stressed that no hidden cameras or microphones were recovered. Mukherjee later dismissed the allegations of a security breach and said the adhesives were remnants of chewing gum.