Army official allegedly transmits military secrets to Pakistan, Court requests presence of Defence officer

By Dhiraj Beniwal
New Delhi [India], December 20 : In view of allegations against an army official that he transmitted the military secret documents relating to the Indian Army to Pakistan through another accused and an official posted at the Pakistan High Commission at New Delhi, a Delhi Court has requested the top officials of Indian Army to depute a Commanding officer to appear before it.
The court noted that as per a report from the Military Intelligence of the Indian Army, all the documents recovered from the other accused Habib Ur Rehman are confidential secrets.
The court said that as per the chargesheet, the accused Paramjeet Kumar is a Naik Clerk of a military base unit at Agra Cantonment, Uttar Pradesh and is a military personnel governed under the Military Law and to ensure a fair trial as per law.
"A letter of request is sent to the Commanding Officer of the unit HQ AFSOD, Agra Cantt, Uttar Pradesh as well as their Head Office and their Vigilance Branch as well as Integrated Defence Staff at Sena Bhawan, New Delhi with a request to depute a commanding officer in the present matter to appear in person on the next date of hearing," a Special judge Ekta Gauba Mann at Tis Hazari Court ordered on December 19, 2023.
The matter has been listed in February 2024.
The court observed, "There are allegations against accused Paramjeet Kumar, a military official, that he has transmitted the classified and confidential documents relating to the Indian Army and the same is detrimental to the National security and sovereignty of the country alleged to be provided to accused Habibur Rehman who in turn would provide it to the official of Pakistan High Commission."
Before passing the order, the special judge noted the oral submissions of Investigation Officer (IO) ACP Pankaj Arora stated that there are allegations that the documents recovered from accused Habib Ur Rehman were of military secrets of the Indian Army and on interrogation, the accused Habib Ur Rehman disclosed that the same were transmitted to him through accused Paramjeet Kumar, a military official of the Indian Army under the commanding unit of HQ AFSOD, Agra Cantt., Uttar Pradesh.
The Investigating Officer (IO) further stated that accused Habib Ur Rehman further disclosed that he used to supply these military secrets to an official of Pakistan High Commission in lieu of money either paid directly or through accused Mohsin Khan at the behest of the said official of Pakistan High Commission.
It was further stated by the IO that the alleged role of the accused Paramjeet Kumar while being posted as a military clerk was receiving the official documents in the official capacity.
He prepared duplicate keys to the office as well as the office almirah and he used to open the said locks and click the photographs of classified and confidential military documents and then transmit them through phone and other electronic modes as well as physically to accused Habib Ur Rehman as well as sometimes directly to the official of Pakistan High Commission and he was in constant touch with the said official of Pakistan High Commission, the IO added.
The court also noted that the IO has received the report from the Military Intelligence of the Indian Army that all the documents recovered from accused Habib Ur Rehman are confidential secrets and classified documents of the Indian Army and any unauthorized disclosure of the contents of the said documents could be expected to cause damage to National security
and could be prejudicial to the national interest or would embarrass the government of India in its functioning.
Delhi police had registered a case under sections of the Official Secret Act, Criminal Conspiracy, Criminal breach of trust etc in the year 2021.
A chargesheet has already been filed and the case is at the stage of framing of charges. Three persons have been charge-sheeted by the Delhi police.