Central Information Commission
Maj. Gen. V. K. Singh vs Central Bureau Of Investigation (Cbi) on 10 October, 2008
CENTRAL INFORMATION COMMISSION
Appeal No.CIC/WB/A/2008/01164 dated 2.6.2008
Right to Information Act 2005 - Section 19
Appellant - Maj. Gen. V. K. Singh
Respondent - Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)
Facts:
In a request of 25.4.08 Maj. Gen. V. K.Singh of Palam Vihar, Gurgaon applied to the CPIO, CBI seeking information as follows:
"The following up to date information, Para/point wise in detail, duly typed and certified, regarding the book titled THE KAOBOYS OF R&AW-DOWN MEMORY LANE, written by B. Raman, is required urgently, regarding the violation or non violation of Official Secrets Act (OSA), 1923 and Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860."
This was followed by a series of 28 questions concluding with the following:
"Does this not violate the relevant sections of the OSA and IPC?"
The questions from Sr. No. 29 to 34, however, read as follows:
"29. Did the author seek permission to publish the book from RAW, Cabinet Secretariat or any other Govt. department? If yes, provide copies of permission and files notings.
30. Has the Ministry of Home Affairs, Cabinet Secretariat, RAW or any other govt. department filed with CBI any complaint regarding the violations of the Official Secrets Act, 1923 and IPC, 1860 in respect of the book? If yes, provide copy of the compliant.
31. Has any action been initiated against the author and publisher of the book under the Official Secrets Act, 1923 and IPC 1860? If yes, provide copy of the same. If no, reasons thereof may be provided.
32. Is the CBI aware of the violations of the Official Secrets Act, 1923 and IPC 1860 in the book?1
33. What action has the CBI taken with regard to the book?
Copies of relevant correspondence and file notings may please be provided?
34. Does the CBI contemplate initiating action against the author and publisher for violation of the Official Secrets Act, 1923 and IPC 1860? If yes, copy of FIR, charge sheet and other relevant documents may be provided. If not, the reasons thereof may be provided."
Addl SP(P)/CPIO of the Policy & Coordination Division, CBI transferred this application to Shri Sanjay Kumar Singh SP & CPIO ACU-IX CBI New Delhi on 5.2.08 upon which Shri Sanjay Kumar Singh offered the following response to appellant Maj. Gen. V. K. Singh through a letter of 21.5.08. S. Serial given in the Reply of ACU-IX Branch/CBI No. application
1. Point No. 1 to 28 In these points opinion of CBI has been sought on extracts of the Book titled 'THE KAOBOYS OF R&AW - DOWN MEMORY LANE" written by B. Raman/
2. Point No. 29 Not related to CBI
3. Point No. 30 No complaint filed with CBI/ACU-IX Branch in this regard.
4. Point No. 31 No. Not applicable. There is no information of commission of any such offence with ACU-IX Branch/CBI
5. Point No. 32 No such violation has been reported to ACU-IX Branch / CBI
6. Point No. 33 No action has been taken by the CBI/ACU-IX Branch with regard to the book.
7. Point No. 34 As on date, no action is contemplated by CBI/ACU-
IX Branch against the author of the book under OSA 1923 and IPC 1860.
Aggrieved with this response, which he describe as "The information given is incomplete and evasive." the General moved his first appeal before Shri M. M. Oberoi, DIG & FAA CBI on 31.5.08.
On not receiving a response, appellant moved a second appeal in which he has stated that the concluding question of his application has been only partly 2 answered since it does not give reasons for not taking action against the author and praying as follows:
"The CBI may be asked to provide the complete information (Certified copies) sought in the application regarding the book titled THE KAOBOYS of R&AW: DOWN MEMORY LANE, written by B. Raman. The information may be provided within 48 hours under section 7 (1) of the Act, since its concerns the liberty of the applicant. The charge sheet filed by the CBI in the court of the CMM has been listed for hearing on 10.7.2008. In case the learned judge decides to take cognisance, he may issue a warrant for arrest of the applicant. The applicant had filed an application for anticipatory bail in the Court of the Session Judge on 26.9.2007, which has still not been decided. A petition under section 401 of CrPC has been filed in the High Court on 23.4.2008 against the orders of the Sessions Judge for the anticipatory bail hearing to be held 'in camera', as requested by the CBI. Another petition under Section 482 CrPC has been filed in the High Court on 9.5.2008 for quashing the FIR and charge sheet. Both petitions are listed for hearing on 17.7.2008. If the information is made available to the applicant in time it will assist him in obtaining bail once the CMM takes cognisance of the charge sheet."
In response to the appeal notice, we have received the comments of Shri Sanjay Kumar Singh, CPIO and SP ACU-IX together with which he has submitted a copy of the decision of 1sdt appellate authority. Dr. M. M. Oberoi, which is dated 30.6.08 and was therefore within the mandated time limit for disposal of a first appeal u/s 19(6). Appellant Maj. Gen. V. K. Singh had in fact moved his second appeal before the conclusion of the mandatory time limit. In this order Dr. Oberoi has held as follows:
"The appeal is not at all on merit and not maintainable, hence liable to be dismissed. In view of the above, the undersigned uphold the reply furnished by the CPIO. Appeal is, therefore, dismissed."
In his response to the appeal notice, CPIO Shri Sanjay K. Singh has contended that "the words "opinion and advices" occurring in Section 2 (f) of the RTI mean "opinion and advices" that are part of record and not the ones which are not in existence. It has been held in the decisions by CIC that CPIO cannot provide something which is non-est and not part of record. RTI Act does not 3 cover material including opinions, which are not available at the time of request." He has then gone on to submit that information available with respondent has been provided to appellant.
The appeal was heard on 10.10.2008. The following are present:
Appellant Maj. Gen. V. K. Singh Mr. Har Mohan Rai Respondent Shri Sanjay K. Singh, SP/ACU-IX, CBI Shri Madan Mohan Oberoi, DIG/AC-III, CBI Appellant Maj. Gen. V. K. Singh submitted that because the disclosures made by Raman in the book referred to are infact in violation of the Official Secrets Act. action under that Act should have been taken against the delinquent former official of RAW.
DECISION NOTICE As summarized above, in his application to the CBI the bulk of the questions of the General are with regard to whether the author of the book in question is or is not in violation of the law. This can in fact be the subject matter of a petition addressed to Director, CBI or to the authorities concerned in the Ministry of Home Affairs concerned with National Security. This cannot be the subject of a RTI application. Under sec. 2(j), this right has been clearly defined as follows:
Sec. 2(j) "right to information" means the right to information accessible under this Act, which is held by or under the control of any public authority1 and includes the right to--
(i) inspection of work, documents, records;
(ii) taking notes, extracts or certified copies of documents or records;1
Underlined by us 4
(iii) taking certified samples of material;
(iv) obtaining information in the form of diskettes, floppies, tapes, video cassettes or in any other electronic mode or through printouts where such information is stored in a computer or in any other device;"
Moreover sec. 2(f) is explicit in defining the word 'information' by opening with the remark that "information means any material in any form2". In other words such information must be held in material form even where it is only an opinion or advice.
Maj. Gen. Singh's objection to the response to his point No. 34 is also not sustainable because the answer to Point No. 30 states clearly that no complaint had been filed with the CBI/ACU-IX Branch in this regard. That is clearly why no action has been contemplated against the author of the book. On the basis of the above, we come to the conclusion that this appeal is unsustainable and is hereby dismissed.
However, since the response of the CBI has made it clear that no complaint has been filed with them thus far with regard to the book in question violating a law upon which they could have taken action, it is open to appellant Maj. Gen. V. K. Singh to move such a complaint before the appropriate authority in CBI seeking such further action, as is warranted by the law.
Announced in the hearing. Notice of this decision be given free of cost to the parties.
(Wajahat Habibullah) Chief Information Commissioner 10.10.2008 2 Underlined by us for emphasis 5 Authenticated true copy. Additional copies of orders shall be supplied against application and payment of the charges, prescribed under the Act, to the CPIO of this Commission.
(Pankaj Shreyaskar) Joint Registrar 10.10.2008 6