IAS officer held for leaking info denied bail

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Monday rejected bail to suspended IAS officer Ravi Inder Singh, arrested for divulging sensitive information on the country's internal security, saying he has committed a crime against the state and undermined its sovereignty.

"Information emanating from the government and being passed over to recipients for any consideration is a crime against the state, be it pertaining to commerce, economy or telecommunication. This is a strike against the sovereignty of the state," Special Judge Rakesh Siddharth said.

Singh, working as Director in the Internal Security wing of the Union Home Ministry, was arrested by the Delhi Police Special Cell on November 23 and is now lodged in Tihar Jail under judicial custody.

"The nature of his offence, the gravity of his act and the position and the power he wields is sufficient to deny relief sought. They are all sufficient to influence witnesses and negate evidence," the judge said.

The special judge rejected Singh's bail plea also saying a stern message needs to be sent against corruption in society, especially in its higher echelons.

"Where there is an outcry of rampant corruption in the society, especially in the higher echelon of the society, a message is required to be sent, which stems from this reasonable restrictions that the society shall not brook corruption at any level," the judge said.

The court also pointed out that Singh was not at all required to pass on the information to unauthorised persons.

"The applicant (Singh) had information regarding the Department of Internal Security, which he was not required to divulge to any person whatsoever," the court said.

Singh and Vineet Kumar, CMD of Kolkata-based Temptation Food Pvt Ltd, who was allegedly acting as a middleman for him, were arrested.

The IAS officer allegedly took illegal gratification from in the form of his lodging expenses at a guest house here since his deputation to New Delhi from Kolkata in January this year. He also allegedly used a car provided by Kumar.

Kumar was also accused of acting at the behest of a US-based telecom company to procure information relating to some files.

A case was registered under various provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code dealing with criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence against the duo.