Indian spymaster charged over revealing book

[Always Neutral]

You dont know anything batman, your here trolling again. Do you know what TADA is for? What Pota was for? This is nothing unusual, its illegal to print classified material in their books even after they retire unless they take explicit permission from the govt.

I am sad to see your back on this forum, the standard of debate and talk here will most definitely go down now.

But Malay India still have a lot of old and archiac laws like the OSA Act 1923 which they copied from us. The have used this law to raid the retired General. This law is so stupid because you are percieved to be guilty without evidence. Infact nearly all modern democracies including UK have struck it down or changed it. India must get rid of this law if it wants to call itself a modern democracy.

I think the raid is more to discourage future writers in the Security Forces. Please read about it below

Best Regards



THE Second Administrative Reforms Commission, headed by Mr M. Veerappa Moily, has rightly recommended the repeal of the Official Secrets Act (OSA), 1923. In its report presented to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the commission stressed the need for its abolition because it has the shadow of a colonial regime. Moreover, after the enactment of the Right to Information Act, the 83-year-old Act has become incongruous with the kind of transparency necessary in a democratic society. Significantly, the commission suggested that instead of continuing the outdated law in the statute book, suitable safeguards to protect the security of the state should be incorporated in the National Security Act. Surprisingly, even though the original Act in Britain has undergone drastic changes, the one in this country remains in its pristine form. Many of the important files concerning development in the early years of Independence remain undisclosed to this day. These include, among others, Cabinet files related to comprehensive primary health care.

In a democracy where citizens enjoy equal political rights, official secrecy has no relevance. More important is the crucial question: who benefits from secrecy? A classic example is the manner in which information relating to the Narmada Dam was kept under the OSA’s protective cover, depriving the victims of the much-needed access to information. Another case of abuse of the OSA is the arrest of Iftikar Geelani, a journalist from Kashmir. The Press Council of India has called for its abolition. Alternatively, it sought amendments to the sections dealing with espionage and security.

If the Right to Information Act has to succeed, the OSA will have to be scrapped lock, stock and barrel. The right to information not only reinforces people’s right to know but also makes it binding on the officials to disclose the information they seek. Today, the issue concerning effective administration and good governance is not simply about increased public involvement in policy formulation and decision-making but about the extent to which the government chooses to open up for wider public deliberation and scrutiny.

 

[Neo]

Indian publisher raided over controversial book​

NEW DELHI: Federal investigators searched the office of a publishing house in the Indian capital after it published a controversial book by a former intelligence officer critical of the Central Bureau of Investigation, news reports said Sunday. The office of Manas Publications was searched on Saturday, nearly three months after they published a book by Major General VK Singh, a retired official of India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), The Indian Express reported. “I feel like the Indian taxpayer has a right to know how public money is spent,” Singh told The Times of India newspaper. The book did not reveal any “explosive” intelligence secrets, he added. The book, titled “India’s External Intelligence: Secrets of RAW,” is critical of the way the intelligence agency functions and hints at political interference and corruption. “This is a Taliban-like system of treating those who expose the truth,” Vivek Garg of the publishing house told The Indian Express. The CBI officials took documents pertaining to the book including the author’s contract and a CD of the book, he said. CBI officials were not immediately available for comment. ap

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

 

[BATMAN]

Ex-RAW official questions relevance of Official Secrets Act-India-The Times of India

NEW DELHI: Former Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) official V K Singh, in the news after CBI registered a case against him under Official Secrets Act (OSA), on Thursday took a dig at the functioning of India's external intelligence agency and said it should be made accountable to the legislature. Singh, whose house was raided by the CBI last week, also raised questions over the relevance of OSA in the absence of any clear guidelines for its use. He said the Act did not clearly define what was to be secret.
Addressing a press conference, Singh, who worked with RAW for over three years during 2000-04, said, "Even a circular for a tea party in RAW is secret. Your TA claim and cheque slip is secret. You take them out and you will be hauled up for it."

He said the charter of RAW was external intelligence and disclosure of any information could harm the national security of foreign nations, not India. He added,"OSA is not at all in keeping with democratic principles and it should be modified." Pointing out that Wikipedia had details of the RAW headquarters and even maps of various defence sites, Singh wondered that if this did not harm national security, how could his book — which dealt with corruption — amount to breach of security.

Questioning the escape of former RAW official Rabinder Singh, alleged to be a CIA mole, to US via Nepal, Singh claimed that the escape was made good by "indecisiveness" of the bureaucracy.

Singh asked why no action was taken against RAW chief Ashok Chaturvedi who did not attend office for eight months when he was superseded for promotion from additional secretary to special secretary. In another instance, he said a senior official, Amar Bhushan, continued to occupy his office even after he was posted out. But no action was taken against him, Singh added. Referring to his book — India's External Intelligence: Secrets of RAW — Singh said all that the book revealed were certain instances of corruption, indiscipline, lack of leadership and negligence.

Singh, who has got anticipatory bail in connection with the CBI case, claimed that intelligence agencies had planted "some documents" at his residence ahead of the raid last week.

He said a person had handed over a bunch of papers against RAW's functioning to him for his consideration. The papers, which were seized by CBI, contained a letter addressed to Pakistan High Commission, Singh said while distancing himself from the papers.

What the hell is 'Official Secrets Act'? Is it documented in Indian law books?

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

What the hell is 'Official Secrets Act'? Is it documented in Indian law books?

Same as what is below:

PAKISTAN: Govt asked to amend official secrets act

Secretary-general of Pakistan Muslim League defends Musharraf; Pakistan People's Party criticizes the president's new book

Dawn
Thursday, September 28, 2006

Islamabad --- Pakistan Muslim League (PML) secretary-general Senator Mushahid Hussain on Thursday urged the government to broaden its freedom of information law and drastically amend the outdated official secrets act.
AsiaMedia :: PAKISTAN: Govt asked to amend official secrets act

 

[BATMAN]

Same as what is below:

Thanks for link but I'm still as ignorant as before.
But it's good to see that ruling elite of Pakistan has again taken the lead to eliminate any age old laws hindering indefinate freedom of Pakistani people.

 

[Flintlock]

What ever, the point is India is the only known state to me, where the law allow to prosecute and punish its citizens without any prior eveidence and investigation. e.g. TADA
In such circumstances criticizing the state is way beyond crossing the line.

Really? The only state?

Hmm...lets see, Saudi Arabia, Iran, China, Burma, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Russia, USA.....the list goes on.

Of course, in varying degrees.

But still, I wonder why you are putting only India on the list....

Hate perhaps?