38.6c New Delhi, India, Friday, August 08, 2025
Top Stories Supreme Court
Political NEWS Legislative Corner Celebstreet International Videos
Subscribe Contact Us
close
Judiciary

Supreme Court Rejects Plea to Quash FIR Against Retired Major General V K Singh Over RAW Secrets Book [Read Order]

By LAWSTREET NEWS NETWORK      25 September, 2023 08:42 PM      0 Comments
Supreme Court Rejects Plea to Quash FIR Against Retired Major General V K Singh Over RAW Secrets Book

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday declined to consider a  plea by Major General (retired) V K Singh against the Delhi High Court's judgement, dismissing his plea for quashing a 2007 CBI FIR and charge sheet filed against him for allegedly revealing secret information by publication of his book titled as 'India's External Intelligence- Secrets of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW)'.

A bench of Justices B R Gavai and Prashant Kumar Mishra, however, allowed the petitioner, represented by senior advocate Mahalakshmi Pavani on to approach the trial court by filing a discharge application.

The petitioner contended the whole case arose out of vendetta. The court, however, asked him, "so you would take revenge against the country".

In his plea, Singh contended he has sought to highlight two major issues, that is, lack of accountability and corruption in RAW, the country's external intelligence agency.

He also claimed the provisions of the Official Secrets Act were unconstitutional for violative of fundamental rights.

"The respondent is taking undue advantage of the provisions to incriminate the accused/petitioner herein for the aforesaid offences without a shred of evidence to exact personal vendetta against him for bringing out the huge corruption and other malpractices which is happening within the RAW which goes unchecked as the their books of accounts are not audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General like in cases of other central government departments due to the secretive nature of its operation and functioning," it said.

A single bench of the Delhi High Court had on May 31, 2023 noted the grievance of the CBI, with regard to disclosure of the names of the officer, location of the places and recommendations of the Group of Ministers etc.

"What prejudices the national security cannot be decided by the courts...Thus, it would be a matter of trial after the witnesses are examined to see whether the revelations by the petitioner in his book is likely to affect the sovereignty and integrity of India and/or the security of the State," the bench had said.

The CBI had registered the case against Singh on September 20, 2007 under the Official Secrets Act on a complaint filed by B Bhattacharjee, Deputy Secretary, Government of India, Cabinet Secretariat.

In its 49-page order, the HC had said even though the entire tenor of the book of the petitioner highlights certain irregularities etc, at RAW, however, the CBIs grievance was with respect to the names of the officer, location of the places and recommendations of the GOM etc.

"Even in the present case, the recommendations of the GOM, which were deleted from publication, have been reproduced verbatim by the petitioner," the bench had said.

The court had also pointed out the petitioner has heavily relied upon some other books and articles wherein references have been made to the recommendations of the GOM but it may be noted that in none of those articles or publications the recommendations of the GOM have been reproduced verbatim. 

[Read Order] 



Share this article:

About:

Explore Comprehensive Legal Reporting with LawStreet Journal: Your Go-To Source for Supreme Court an...Read more

Follow:
TwitterLinkedinInstagram


Leave a feedback about this
Related Posts
View All

Another CBI Officer Investigating Rakesh Asthana Moves SC Against Transfer, Makes Startling Revelations Another CBI Officer Investigating Rakesh Asthana Moves SC Against Transfer, Makes Startling Revelations

After A.K. Bassi, another CBI officer who was investigating corruption allegations against Special Director Rakesh Asthana moved the Supreme Court.

Ayodhya verdict: SC rules in favour of Ram Lalla, Sunni Waqf Board gets alternate land Ayodhya verdict: SC rules in favour of Ram Lalla, Sunni Waqf Board gets alternate land

SC bench led by CJI Ranjan Gogoi has allotted the dispute site to Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, while directing the government to allot an alternate 5 acre land within Ayodhya to Sunni Waqf Board to build a mosque.

Supreme Court: Money Spent On Judiciary Less Than 1% In All States Except Delhi Supreme Court: Money Spent On Judiciary Less Than 1% In All States Except Delhi

The court guided all states to document their response to the commission's report within four weeks. If any of the states fail to file a response, it will be presumed that they have no objections to the recommendations made by the commission, the court said.

Supreme Court Top Panel Names Chief Justices for Bombay, Orissa and Meghalaya High Courts Supreme Court Top Panel Names Chief Justices for Bombay, Orissa and Meghalaya High Courts

On April 18, 2020, the Supreme Court Collegium recommended new Chief Justices for three High Courts. Justice Dipankar Datta was proposed as Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, succeeding Justice B.P. Dharmadhikari. Justice Biswanath Somadder was nominated as Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court, while Justice Mohammad Rafiq was recommended for transfer as Chief Justice of Orissa High Court.

TRENDING NEWS

in-house-procedure-had-legal-sanctity-sc-dismisses-justice-varmas-plea-against-recommendation-for-removal
Trending Judiciary
'In-house procedure had legal sanctity,' SC dismisses Justice Varma's plea against recommendation for removal

SC upholds in-house probe into Justice Varma, dismisses his plea against removal; says process is legally valid and judge’s conduct lacked credibility.

07 August, 2025 12:05 PM
sole-testimony-of-victim-even-without-medical-evidence-sufficient-to-uphold-rape-conviction-sc
Trending Judiciary
Sole testimony of victim even without medical evidence sufficient to uphold rape conviction: SC [Read Judgment]

SC: Victim’s sole testimony, even without medical evidence, sufficient to uphold rape conviction if found credible and consistent.

07 August, 2025 03:11 PM

TOP STORIES

bengaluru-court-convicts-ex-mp-prajwal-revanna-in-rape-case
Trending Judiciary
Bengaluru court convicts ex MP Prajwal Revanna in rape case

Bengaluru court convicts ex-MP Prajwal Revanna in rape case linked to explicit videos; one of four sexual abuse cases filed against him.

04 August, 2025 11:07 AM
sc-sets-aside-order-declaring-man-as-juvenile-on-basis-of-school-certificate
Trending Judiciary
SC sets aside order declaring man as juvenile on basis of school certificate [Read Judgment]

SC: School certificate from private school not valid proof of age, sets aside order declaring murder accused as juvenile.

04 August, 2025 11:24 AM
hp-may-vanish-in-thin-air-god-forbid-sc-on-ecological-imbalance-in-himachal-pradesh
Trending Judiciary
‘HP may vanish in thin air, God forbid', SC on ecological imbalance in Himachal Pradesh [Read Order]

SC warns HP may vanish due to ecological imbalance; seeks state’s action plan amid rising disasters, deforestation, and climate change threats.

04 August, 2025 11:31 AM
sc-grants-4-weeks-time-to-centre-to-frame-guidelines
Trending Judiciary
SC grants 4 weeks time to Centre to frame guidelines to ensure pedestrians right to use footpath

SC gives Centre 4 weeks to frame guidelines ensuring pedestrians’ right to obstruction-free, accessible footpaths under Article 21.

04 August, 2025 11:41 AM

ADVERTISEMENT


Join Group

Signup for Our Newsletter

Get Exclusive access to members only content by email