Defence Minister's office 'bugged', IB probe ordered

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In a sensational case, Defence Ministry authorities have detected alleged bugging of the office room of Defence Minister A K Antony and Intelligence Bureau (IB) has been asked to probe the matter.

Sources in the Ministry told agencies on Friday that the development came to notice on February 16 following which Defence secretary Shashikant Sharma took up the matter with IB for a probe.

The matter was brought to notice by two Army personnel who were manning the telephone lines in the Ministry.

After this was brought to notice, Ministry officials refused to get their phone lines checked by the Army personnel, they said.

The matter had come to light soon after the long-drawn battle between the Army and the Defence Ministry over the issue of General V.K. Singh's age came to rest following an intervention by the Supreme Court.

Gen Singh's age issue was resolved after the apex court forced him to withdraw his petition on February 10 where he was asked to accept May 10, 1950 as his date of birth. The Army has not yet commented on the development.

Last year, a similar incident was reported from the office of Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee when snooping devices allegedly were found from there.

A inquiry was ordered by the Finance Ministry after adhesive-like substances were recovered from his office, raising suspicion that they might have been used to implant electronic listening devices.