New Delhi: In a dramatic twist in the corporate espionage case, arrested former journalist and key accused Santanu Saikia on Saturday claimed he was trying to uncover a Rs 10,000 crore scam even as the Delhi police told the court that “national interest was taken for a ride” in the case which, they said, can attract charges under the Official Secrets Act.
Mr Saikia was apprehended along with Prayas Jain, another energy consultant, on Friday for allegedly receiving the stolen papers. The five corporate executives who were on arrested Friday night were remanded in police custody by the court till February 24 for further questioning. Crime Branch sleuths continued to conduct raids at several places in the National Capital Region looking for stolen documents in the offices of petroleum companies. Police sources said two joint secretary-level officers of the petroleum ministry were under the scanner.
There were reports of the Intelligence Bureau looking at sponsored foreign tours in the last two years of officials working in various ministries, including petroleum. Sources added that more officials from the corporate sector were being quizzed. Delhi police commissioner Bhim Sain Bassi on Saturday hinted that more arrests are likely soon.
Journalist Santanu Saikia (first from left) and five senior executives from top energy firms, arrested in connection with corporate espionage scandal, before they were produced in a court in New Delhi on Saturday. (Photo: PTI)
Santanu Saikia, a former journalist now running a website, claimed to reporters outside a Crime Branch office that it was a Rs 10,000 crore scam which he was trying to uncover. “Please quote me,” he said as policemen took him in for interrogation. One of Mr Saikia’s family members reportedly told media that he had earlier been accused by the CBI of similar charges but had won the case against the agency in 2009 over accusations that he had access to sensitive material.
