Espionage In Finance Ministry: Delhi Police Arrests Contractual Employee For Leaking Classified Data

According to the police, he was detained for providing classified information to other nations and engaging in espionage in exchange for money.

Ministry of Finance staff undergo thermal screening before entering the building, at North Block in New Delhi.

Source : File Photo/Getty

New Delhi: Ahead of the Union Budget to be presented on February 1, the Delhi Police have booked a contract employee of the Finance Ministry under the Officials Secret Act for "espionage" activities. Sumit, a data entry operator, has been identified as a contractual employee. According to the police, he was detained for providing classified information to other nations and engaging in espionage in exchange for money.

वित्त मंत्रालय की सुरक्षा में सेंध, डाटा एंट्री ऑपरेटर पकड़ा गया@Sheerin_sherry | https://t.co/smwhXUROiK#FinanceMinistry #Delhi #DelhiPolice #Breaking pic.twitter.com/Rlj82xbbUz

— ABP News (@ABPNews) January 18, 2023

The Delhi Police Crime Branch busted the espionage network that was leaking sensitive information about the Finance Ministry. One mobile phone that he was using to share secret information about the Ministry of Finance was retrieved from his possession during his cursory search. A case was opened by the Delhi Police Crime Branch under FIR No. under the Official Secrets Act on Tuesday, 17/23.

This comes days before Union Budget, one of the biggest events of the year, to be presented on February 1. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Modi government's last full-fledged Budget of its second term on February 1. The Budget 2023 assumes significance as it will be presented amid global uncertainties and the looming threat of recession and slowdown globally, issues of inflationary pressure, and geo-political concerns on the back of Russian-Ukraine war. 

Meanwhile, for the second and final batch of Supplementary Demands for Grants, the finance ministry has sought expenditure proposals from various ministries and departments.

In an office memorandum, the ministry stated that the final batch of Supplementary Demands for Grants for 2022-23 would be proposed to be presented to Parliament during the following session.

"While processing proposals for supplementary Grants, the Grant controlling authority must invariably identify savings within the Grant so that the infructuous or inflated Supplementary Demands are weeded out and the eventuality of surrender after obtaining Supplementary Grant is avoided," it added.

The finance minister has already met different stakeholders to elicit their views and suggestions for the Budget. Starting from the common man to industry stakeholders, all eyes are set on the upcoming Budget.