New Delhi: The country`s intelligence
agencies -- RAW and Intelligence Bureau-- have refused to make
public the information on cases related to human rights
violation and corruption against their personnel though the
RTI Act states otherwise.
Interestingly, both the agencies wrongfully cited section
24 of the RTI Act for denial of response to the petitioner.
According to the section, Central intelligence and
security organisations have been kept outside the ambit of the
RTI Act except for allegations of human rights violation or
corruption.
"As per the provision of the RTI Act 2005... the
Intelligence Bureau has been exempted from providing any
information or detail. Hence it is regretted that the
information sought cannot be provided," said the Public
Information Officer of IB in his reply.
The Chief Public Information Officer of Cabinet
Secretariat, which controls RAW, in his reply said."... it is
stated that the requisite information pertains to Intelligence
and Security Organisation under the Cabinet Secretariat...
which is exempted from the purview of RTI Act."
Exercising his Right to Information, petitioner Ashwini
Shrivastava, had asked for information related to cases of
corruption, human rights violation and sexual exploitation in
IB, RAW and Central Paramilitary Forces.
In its reply, Assam Rifles said it has registered 39
cases related to alleged human rights violation and two cases
of corruption in the past ten years.
No such cases were witnessed by National Security Guard
(NSG) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force personnel.
However, four other Central paramilitary forces -- CRPF,
CISF, SSB and BSF -- denied to make public the information.
"In this connection it is intimated that under section 24
of Right to Information Act, 2005, SSB is exempted from the
provisions of said Act except in the cases pertaining to
corruption and human rights violation.
"As no case of corruption and human rights violation is
involved in the instant case on the part of the department,
the information asked... cannot be provided," the PIO of the
force said.
"The information solicited by you relates to personal
information and it would cause unwarranted invasion of the
privacy of the individual," the Public Information Officer of
CISF said in his reply.
The Public Information Officers of Central Reserve Police
Force and Border Security Force denied the information and
cited the Act.
Besides IB, RAW and Central Paramilitary forces, nine
other organisations like Central Economic Intelligence Bureau,
Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Directorate of
Enforcement, Narcotics Control Bureau, Aviation Research
Centre and Special Frontier Force are kept out of the ambit
of RTI Act.
PTI
