NEW DELHI:The corporate espionage scandal on Friday got murkier with the arrest of more people as confidential documents, including an input for the upcoming Finance Minister’s budget speech, were allegedly leaked in the whole operation.
Meanwhile, photocopies of documents related to further opportunities in Sri Lanka dated February 4, 2015, photocopies of Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry’s power point presentation related to the exploration division, copies of documents on a presentation made to Saurabh Chandra, secretary, Petroleum Ministry on ONGC Videsh Limited and a detailed note on issues in different countries in the oil and gas sector were also recovered from accused Lalta and Rakesh Prasad, sons of ministry employee Asharam. Besides, three diaries have been recovered by the investigators which they indicated could expose all the major players involved in the espionage ring.
The investigators are looking into the links of the accused with other firms and energy consultants and more startling revelations may come up in a few days as the police have also detained Petroleum Ministry employee Lokesh based on interrogation of the those arrested.
The police took all the five accused to the ministry’s offices on Thursday to identify spots from where they used to steal the documents for former journalist Santanu Saikia and CEO of Metis Business Solutions Prayas Jain. “All the five accused were on the payroll of Saikia and Jain for a monthly salary of Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000,” said a senior police officer.
Of the seven accused, four — Lalta Prasad, Rakesh Kumar, Jain and Saikia X— were remanded in police custody until Monday by a Delhi court as the police had saaid that they may have more information about the espionage ring and their custodial interrogation is required.