CBI books defence journalist in espionage case

New Delhi: A senior defence journalist has been booked by the Central Bureau of Investigation under the charges of espionage of Official Secrets Act. The agency is conducting raids at a dozen locations in Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, and Jaipur in connection with the matter.

Sources said, journalist Vivek Raghuvanshi was allegedly selling strategic details of defence projects, procurement, and future plans to foreign countries for money. 

They said, he was giving minute details about sensitive installations and progress in projects. 

Raghuvanshi was on the radar of authorities for some time and was in continuous touch with foreign agencies, they added.

As per them, he was becoming a threat to national security and because of his actions bilateral relations with friendly countries were also under stress, they alleged. 

CBI has recovered huge amounts of digital records and other documents regarding this case, said the sources.

For our readers, Official Secrets Act of 1923 is India's anti-espionage law. It states that actions which involve helping an enemy state against India are strongly condemned. It also states that one cannot approach, inspect, or even pass over a prohibited government site or area. 

As per the act, helping an enemy state can be in the form of communicating a sketch, plan, a model of an official secret, or of official codes or passwords, to the enemy. 

Punishments under the Act range from three to life imprisonment (if the intent is to declare war against India – section 5 ) imprisonment. A person prosecuted under this Act can be charged with the crime even if the action was unintentional and not intended to endanger the security of the state. 

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