Stationery Shop Operator Booked For Alleged Leak Of Sensitive Army Data In Mhow

Mhow (Madhya Pradesh): An alleged breach of sensitive defence-related information has prompted police action in Mhow, with the operator of a stationery shop inside the Infantry School campus booked for illegally passing on data linked to Army officers to cadets undergoing training.

Mhow police station in-charge Rahul Sharma said a case has been registered against shop operator Sapna Agrawal and the original allottee, ex-serviceman Ramlal Nayak, under Section 406 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for criminal breach of trust.

According to police, the shop was originally allotted by the Army to Nayak, a former serviceman, and was later handed over to Agrawal for operations without a formal agreement.

Officials alleged that Agrawal retained copies of documents brought in for photocopying by Army officers and subsequently provided them to trainee cadets.

Preliminary inquiry has revealed the alleged exchange of certain electronic data and documents, Sharma said, adding that the exact nature of the information and its intended use are still under investigation. Given the sensitivity of the case, Mhow police and military agencies are conducting a joint probe.

“Digital devices and documents are being examined. If further evidence emerges, additional sections may be invoked,” Sharma told media persons.

The incident has caused a stir in the military establishment at Mhow, which houses the Infantry School, a premier Army training institution. Police said the investigation will determine the extent of the alleged data breach and whether it posed any threat to national security.