Scorpene data leak 'a matter of serious concern', asked DCNS for urgent probe: Navy Chief Sunil Lanba

New Delhi: Just a few days after Defence minister Manohar Parrikar played down the Scorpene leak saying it's "not a big worry", Navy Chief Sunil Lanba on Monday termed the Scorpene data leak as 'a matter of serious concern'.

"Leak of information related to Scorpene submarine is a matter of serious concern," Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba was quoted as saying by news Agency ANI.

Last week, Parrikar had said the Navy has assured him that most of the leaked documents are not of concern. "Basically, what is on the website is not of big concern. We are assuming, on our own, that this has leaked and we are taking all precautions", Parrikar had said.

However, Admiral Sunil Lanba today said that the Navy has viewed the leak of the Scorpene data very seriously. "We have asked DCNS to launch an urgent investigation," ANI reported him as saying.

On Sunday, the French shipmaking firm DCNS had approached the Supreme Court in Australia seeking an injunction against 'The Australian' from further publishing the leaked documents of India's Scorpene submarine project.

The DCNS has also sought a court order to the newspaper to hand over the documents in its possession and removal of the contents from its website.

Over 22,000 pages of top secret data on the capabilities of six highly advanced submarines being built for the Indian Navy in Mumbai in collaboration with French company DCNS have been leaked. The secret data included details of the capabilities of SM39 anti-ship missile expected to be used on the Scorpene and classified information about the number of targets the missile was capable of processing.

With ANI inputs