The CBI Friday received a formalcomplaint from Defence Ministry on the alleged violation ofOfficial Secrets Act with regard to secret documents providedby arms dealer Abhishek Verma's estranged business associatewhich may result in another case against him.
The CBI is going through the complaint and might soonregister the case for alleged violation of the OfficialsSecrets Act which may involve Verma, agency sources said.
The sources said Defence Ministry has not named Verma inits complaint and has requested the CBI to probe the alleged"leakage of the secret documents".
The agency is, however, taking legal opinion on thealleged involvement of Verma as documents were not recoveredfrom his possession but were provided by a third person, theysaid.
The CBI after registering the case is likely to probesenior ministry officials and retired defence personnel whoare under the agency's scanner for their alleged relationswith Verma and other arms supplier lobbyists.
US-based attorney C Edmond Allen, who was a businessassociate of Verma, had provided documents which deal withacquisition and future plans of the defence forces to CBI andother investigating agencies, alleging that these wereprovided by Verma to show his influence in defence circles.
The Defence Ministry had already provided the agency withthe list of nearly seven documents which it found to be comingunder the definition of secret under the OSA.
However, the agency was waiting for a formal complaintfrom the Ministry to ascertain whether the 'secret' documentswere in public domain or not because it felt that some of themcould have been provided to defence manufacturers.