Government mum on panel looking into Official Secrets Act

NEW DELHI: Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s family might have said that PM Narendra Modi gave an assurance that he would take the issue of declassification of files related to the freedom fighter forward, but the government has refused to divulge even the basic information on a committee formed to examine the Official Secrets Act.

The home ministry has refused to divulge details of the committee formed after the snooping controversy brought the issue of Netaji’s death back to the attention of the country. Activist Venkatesh Nayak of Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative had filed an application under RTI Act seeking details of the committee that is examining the Official Secrets Act.

However, the ministry said in its reply, “The information sought by you is exempted for disclosure under Section 8 (1) (i) of RTI Act, 2005.”