CIC seeks records of CIA spy in 1971 cabinet [Government of India]

CIC seeks records of CIA spy

in 1971 cabinet [Government of India]

Tags:CIC, CIA Spy, 1971 Cabinet

New Delhi: The Central Information Commission has sought in a "sealed envelope" the records related to alleged spy of American intelligence agency CIA in the 1971 cabinet and death of former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri in Tashkent in 1966. 

In two separate RTI applications, author of "CIA's eye on South Asia" Anuj Dhar had sought to know from the government the details about alleged CIA mole in the Indira Gandhi cabinet of 1971 who, according to some reports, passed on crucial information about India-Pakistan war to the USA. 

Most of the information was denied to him citing section 8(1)(a) of the RTI Act that exempts disclosure of information which would "prejudicially affect the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security, strategic, scientific or economic interests of the State, relation with foreign State or lead to incitement of an offence." 

During the hearing, Dhar submitted that the US government had already declassified information which had references to some sources in India leaking information about the briefings given to the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on the ongoing India-Pakistan war to the American snooping agency. 

Taking cognisance of the fact that the information sought was 30-40 years old, Chief Information Commissioner Satyananda Mishra directed Prime Minister's Office and the Cabinet Secretariat to produce records before him in sealed cover. 

"Keeping in view that the information relates to a period now nearly three to four decades old, we would like to see the contents to satisfy ourselves that, indeed, the information is sensitive enough for India's security and foreign relations concerns. It is only after that it should be possible to decide, if the information should be disclosed," Mishra said in the order. 

PTI 

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in 1966 there were rumours of foul play in pm lal bahadur shastri`s death. but in those days people generally had so much respect and trust of nehru-gandhi family that no body believed them. but now if we evalute indira gandhi`s role and misuse of power to maintain her family`s control on pm`s chair, it is possible that there was some foul play in pm shastri`s death. indira gandhi during her power days kicked out all the senior congress leadership, 1971 war, emergency rule, 1984 blue star operation killing thousands of innocent men, women and children just proove that all these actions were taken to have full and dictorial control of gandhi family on pm`s chair.