Bugging is an integral part of the operations carried out by intelligence agencies as it helps them gather information which may be useful for their different activities. Bugging is part of the information-gathering exercise done by intelligence agencies and is in fact a part of their Standard Operating Procedures.
Considering the kind of activities that intelligence agencies carry out, it becomes an operational necessity for them to resort to bugging as well. It is a fairly open secret that every intelligence agency indulges in this activity.
For instance it is now known that both the American and Russian agencies were bugging and snooping on each other during the Cold War. Maybe other countries are doing so to protect their own national interests but are such operational aspects discussed or come out in the public domain.
Without bugging, it is very difficult for any security or intelligence agency to conduct a professional operation. Especially so now, when terrorism has become a global phenomenon.
But it is important that the reason for which bugging is done is justified, and it need not be misused by one country against another or one agency against another. Normally all important intelligence agencies in every country have stringent mechanisms and put in place counter-checks so that intelligence agencies of some other country do not harm their resources or assets.
However, it is not possible that every operation carried out by a foreign agency gets uncovered. There have been several operations carried out by a foreign agency without the knowledge of the security establishment of the nation concerned. So it is not always possible to put a foolproof mechanism in place and at times some covert operations do not get revealed.
But these days, particularly on the issue of terrorism, there is greater co-operation and sharing of information among various agencies. This is precisely the reason why likes of Hafiz Saeed and Dawood Ibrahim are being labelled global terrorists. But still most intelligence agencies conduct their operations independently or may share information once it is fully developed.
Sometimes bugging can be misused by private players also specially with the easy availability of sophisticated devices in the open market. For instance, in Delhi, gadgets which help in bugging rivals are available in the Connaught Place area.
It is very difficult for any government to check the misuse of such equipment, though the government can come out with some sort of guidelines. It is not just bugging there are devices available that tap into your cyber activities. Cyber crime has assumed such serious proportions.
In the past, cases have come to light where so-called private detective agencies have bugged or tapped into mobile phones or e-mails of private persons. At times these private sleuths try and get the Call Data Records (CDRs) or other information for their clients. Such private players obviously have access to sophisticated gadgets.
There are systems of checks and balances in place to counter any kind of misuse but still if something wrong happens then there are stringent provisions in law to ensure that the accused persons get punished.
For instance, phone tapping, which is required to be done in the national interest or security, has to be approved at the highest levels, by the home secretary at the Centre or the principal secretary, home, in the states. So it is difficult to assume that bugging can be misused by an official agency.
On the issue of alleged bugging of senior Cabinet minister Nitin Gadkari, I think we should go by what the government has said in Parliament. The government has already denied that anything of this sort has happened.
No government will ever give false information in Parliament and now that the record has been set straight we should put this issue to rest. I also do not see any reason as to why any government would indulge in bugging or tapping of its own political colleagues.
Every government functions within certain parameters of morality and ethics and would not indulge in activities like bugging or tapping even if they have the infrastructure available with them. But then, this is a decision which top functionaries in any government have to take on whether they would want to indulge in something like this or not.
As for any other country doing such activity on our soil, I strongly feel that our agencies are fully equipped and have the expertise to tackle that. Our security and intelligence organisations are at par with the best in the world and can fully secure and protect our national interests. Though one cannot rule out the possibility that some foreign intelligence agencies might be trying to target us but we are competent to deal with them.
K.J.M Verma is former secretary, Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW)
(As told to Rajnish Sharma)
