New Delhi: The Army is investigating the
manner in which Major Shantanu Dey, who is being probed in a
suspected espionage case, got access to over 200 classified
documents that were found in his computer hard disc.
"The inquiry in the case is still on and we are trying to
find out that how did Major Dey get access to classified files
and who gave it to him," Army sources said here Monday.
While checking the hard disc of Major Dey`s computer after
the FBI gave a tip-off about mails being sent from it to a
computer in Pakistan, the Central Forensic Science Laboratory
in Hyderabad found out that the Major was in possession of
over 200 files and presentations of classified nature.
In joint investigations by the Military Intelligence
(MI) and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the
case, it was found that the Army official`s computer was not
hacked and only his e-mail address and password were hacked by
Pakistani operatives, they added.
The Army maintained that there was no espionage angle to
it but said whatever be the outcome of the case, the officer
was guilty of violating the Standard Operating Procedures of
the military on cyber security.
The matter came to light when the FBI, while probing the
David Headley case, found a picture sent by Major Dey to his
former Commander, presently taking part in a course in the
United States, in a Pakistani Army officer`s computer and
tipped off India about it.
After the FBI informed about the picture sent through a
particular IP address, the NIA and the MI carried out a joint
probe that led them to Dey`s computer in Andaman from where
the mail was sent.
Army is also trying to find out if the officer had
e-mailed any classified documents also from his computer to
any other person.
Maj Dey is at present serving in his unit deployed in
the Andaman islands.
Sources said the Major told the investigators that he
collected the 200-odd documents found in his hard disc for
preparing for the Defence Services Staff College exams, which
are scheduled to be held in September this year.
PTI
