NEW DELHI: After the unravelling of the ugly side of the bureaucrats-corporate nexus, the NDA government has decided to launch a slew of security measures to check pilferage of secret files from the leaky ministries. The enhanced security drill will regulate the entry of visitors, restrict entry of staffers after office hours, frisking them and checking visitors’ bags, deployment of escort for visitors, frequent sanitisation of corridors during office hours and installation of CCTV cameras in 52 sensitive government buildings. As a precautionary step to regulate access in the sensitive buildings, a performa filing has been made mandatory for visitors meeting government officials.
“The officers (entitled to receive visitors) are, therefore advised to give prior intimation to the reception officers about their visitors and send written requisitions in the prescribed performa,” a government note sent to all central ministries on March 11, 2015, said. It added that visitors should leave the building after the meeting under watch of an escort provided by the concerned officer.
The government has also decided to curb the entry of contractual staff and visitors in the ministries after office hours. The investigation has revealed that a corporate espionage module linked to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas was operating in the night to copy classified documents and sell them to corporate houses. The centre has urged sensitive ministries to appoint a senior officer as the designated authority to look after the security in the respective department and only authorised staff should be allowed to remain inside the buildings. A decision has also been taken to carry out surprise checks in coordination with the Intelligence Bureau to ensure that no unauthorised person stays behind inside the buildings at night.
The new measures followed a series of arrests in two ‘corporate espionage’ rings busted on the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that exposed deep rot in the Petroleum, Coal, Power, Finance and Commerce ministries involving babus, consultants and corporate executives of top firms for alleged leakage and supply of government documents to private companies.
The security staffs drawn from Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) have been advised to check bags instead of letting them pass through X-ray scanners. In the espionage ring, two accused Lalta Prasad and Rakesh Kumar were caught red handed by Delhi Police and intelligence officers with bags full of documents.
“During lunch hour, the staffs normally leave their sections and go out. There is a possibility of some mischief being done at that time. It may, therefore, be ensured that one or two members of staff always stay behind in every section,” the note further added.
Details of the actions to be taken by the CISF and Intelligence Bureau—which covers a number of government installations in Delhi including North Block, South Block, CGO Complex, Nirman Bhavan, Shastri Bhavan, Loknayak Bhavan and Krishi Bhavan and Patiala House—are considered extra sensitive. The staff appointed with senior officials are being instructed to lock the rooms immediately after the concerned officer’s departure and should re-open them only in their presence. Government offices located on ground and first floors will undergo special security audit. It has been suggested to install iron grills on windows to prevent intrusion and pilferage of classified files.
“The corridors must be checked frequently by designated officer of the concerned ministry to clear any unauthorised visitors who may be loitering about. Toilets should be thoroughly checked by designated officer or staff member at frequent intervals during the day,” the note added.
Last month, Delhi Police blew the lid off espionage in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and arrested 16 people, including government officials, energy consultants and senior executives of top energy companies. In two separate FIRs, investigators have alleged leakage of government documents from the Petroleum, Coal and Power ministries. Subsequently on March 12, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) exposed a separate espionage module operating in the sensitive Ministry of Finance and Commerce. Top secret documents related to foreign investment policies were clandestinely passed on to companies through a well-oiled network of babus, posted in the ministries and a Mumbai-based chartered accountant.
A source said that the government has also ordered fresh security profiling of over 1,200 posts in various ministries and departments that are considered extra sensitive in nature.
ACCESS CONTROL
CBI has so far arrested six people in the Ministry of Finance and Commerce linked to the corporate espionage ring
Crackdown against contractual staff’s overstay or entry after office hours
Govt launches security measures to prevent unauthorised entry of visitors
Installation of CCTV cameras in 52 sensitive government offices
Fresh security profiling of
1,200 sensitive posts in central ministries