Indian police arrest 7 over alleged corporate espionage

The Indian police have arrested seven people for suspected corporate espionage by stealing classified documents from the Petroleum Ministry, officials said on Friday

Police detained two energy consultants in connection with leaking of classified documents from the Petroleum Ministry on Friday.

Two Oil Ministry officials, a Reliance Industries staffer and two other middlemen had been arrested Thursday for allegedly leaking classified government documents to energy companies for money.

The theft of the secret documents had been taking place in the office of the ministry located in high-security Shastri Bhawan, which also houses several other ministries.

Petroleum Minister Dharamendra Pradhan said that strict action will be taken against those involved in the case, and they will be "severely dealt with."

Delhi Police Commissioner B.S. Bassi said the "secret papers" were photocopied after office hours by the suspects who used duplicate keys to open the offices after entering Shastri Bhawan on forged identity cards and temporary passes obtained fraudulently. The documents were passed on to some corporate houses in return for rewards.

"All those who are recipients of stolen documents will be questioned and action taken. If the documents fall under the purview of the Official Secrets Act, then the relevant sections will also be imposed," he told reporters.

The Crime Branch officials raided several private companies Thursday.

Bassi said the two employees arrested by the Crime Branch were part of multi-tasking staff, while two were former staffers and a driver who has not worked at the ministry.

"They were involved in the act for a long time," he said, adding a case has been registered against them for stealing, forgery, trespass and criminal conspiracy. Endi