Info on disbanded covert unit set by V K Singh to be withheld

New Delhi, Aug 18 (PTI) The Central InformationCommission has rejected a plea seeking disclosure of recordsrelated to a controversial covert unit set by the then ArmyChief V K Singh, Technical Service Division, saying it will"prejudicially affect security" of the country. "The Commission strongly believes that if information ofthis nature is put in public domain, it will inviteunnecessary speculation and will have substantive bearing onnational security and will have international implications,"Information Commissioner Divya Prakash Sinha said. He said, "We have to bear in mind that intelligencegathering mechanism is, by its nature, very sensitive andimpinges on the security of the country." The Information Commissioner had carried out an in-camerahearing to peruse the file containing report of Lt Gen VinodBhatia who was assigned to enquire into the matter ofTechnical Support Division (TSD) of the army. "Commission observes after perusal of documents/filesthat invoking Section 10 of the RTI Act is not possible inthis case because various issues finding mention in thereports/files shown to the Commission are inter­linked and anydisclosure would compromise on the strategic security of thecountry," Sinha said. The case relates to the plea filed by Aparna DattaBakshi, wife of Colonel Munishwar Nath "Hunny" Bakshi who hadreportedly headed the unit, to get details of TSD and reportsof Bhatia who had probed into the operations. He said the report of the Board of officers has broughtout various objectives of TSD, details of its methodology,tradecraft as well as operational expenditure of the SecretService fund. "Commission invokes the provisions of Section 8(1)(a) ofthe RTI Act and disallows disclosure of the above reports,"Sinha said. He said disclosure of information pertaining to mandateof TSD including its tasking/functioning andquantum/handling/allocation of MI/GS funds would prejudiciallyaffect the security of the country and are exempt fromdisclosure under Section 8(1)(a) of the RTI Act. PTI ABSRT