Thaindian News

New Delhi, April 6 (IANS) The Delhi High Court Wednesday disposed off a petition alleging irregularities in the functioning of National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO), which monitors external communications, imagery and cyber traffic.

The court decision followed a report filed by the central government.

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) A.S. Chandhiok filed the report in a sealed cover before a division bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Reva Khetrapal.

The court, after perusing the report, decided to dispose off the matter and returned the report to the ASG.

While hearing a petition alleging administrative and financial irregularities causing loss to the public exchequer, the bench earlier sought an action taken report from the government against the delinquent NTRO officers.

Chandhiok was directed to place on record all the files pertaining to the internal inquiry by a one-member committee and also the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).

The public interest litigation was filed by V.K. Mittal, a scientist who voluntarily retired from the NTRO, seeking a direction to the government to make public the internal inquiry report.

The petitioner referred to a media report and said that the CAG pointed to several financial, technical and administrative irregularities in the purchase of equipment worth Rs.750 crore.

“Despite a complaint to the Prime Minister’s Office and the Central Vigilance Commission, no action was taken against the senior officials involved in various irregularities,” Mittal said.