Even as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) probes the alleged transfer of information —— from the computer of an Indian Army Major posted in the Andamans ——- to a computer in Pakistan, the Indian Army on Monday sought to dismiss speculation that a few senior Army officers were likely to face questioning by the NIA in the case. “No other Army officers have been summoned for questioning by the NIA,” senior Army sources said on Monday.
Army sources also indicated that there was a strong possibility of a Court of Inquiry being constituted on the issue of alleged violation of cyber rules (governing armed forces personnel) by the concerned Army Major once the joint probe by the NIA and Military Intelligence (MI) was completed. As per rules, computers of armed forces personnel storing any defence information should not be linked to the Internet.
While earlier the Army had claimed that it was a case of computer hacking, the NIA is probing whether it was a case of espionage. Investigators could also be looking at the possibility of whether there is a larger espionage ring behind the transfer of information.
The NIA had earlier found that some “professional’’ help had been sought to erase some of the files even when the computer was in the custody of investigating authorities.
Central security agencies have found about 2,500 defence presentations on the “compromised” computer of the Army Major.