New Delhi: The J&K police have raided the properties of a Jammu-based businessman and owner of two newspapers who was arrested under the Official Secrets Act earlier this week for allegedly circulating a “secret” document related to the withdrawal of security cover of certain protected persons in the Union Territory.
Tarun Behl was arrested on Wednesday, July 10, from his residence in the upscale Channi Himmat area of Jammu city for reportedly circulating the list of some 57 protected persons, including some journalists, politicians and retired police officers among others whose security cover was recently withdrawn by J&K administration.
‘Leak’ of secret document
Authorities said that the “secret” document had circulated in the WhatsApp groups ‘The Sree Times’ and ‘The Daily Aasman’ run by Behl and he was arrested by Jammu city police in a case (FIR No 80/2024) filed at Channi Himmat police station under section 3 (circulating information useful to an enemy or….likely to affect the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the state or friendly relations with foreign states) and section 5 (wrong communication of secret information) of the Official Secrets Act.
The case also includes sections 49 (punishment of abetment) and 353 (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
A second case (FIR No 48/2024) was registered by Shergari police station in the capital Srinagar in connection with the circulation of the document that “detailed reductions and withdrawals in security for various protected persons.” A J&K police statement advised media and WhatsApp group administrators against circulating information that can “jeopardise the security and sovereignty of the nation”.
“We are actively investigating the source of the leak and will initiate strict action against those responsible. Public is urged to refrain from sharing such sensitive information and to report any knowledge of unauthorised disclosures to the police. This incident underscores the importance of safeguarding classified information, particularly when it pertains to national security and the protection of individuals under threat,” a police official said.
Paper got ads from BJP
On its X account set up in December 2020, The Sree Times, which is run by Behl and the website of which remains inaccessible, identifies itself as “J&K’s Prominent and widely read Daily English Newspaper owned by the Sree Group of Publications”.
A photo of The Sree Times’ front-page of December 2, 2014, which is also Behl’s Facebook profile picture, suggests that the newspaper had received advertisements from the Bhartiya Janta Party. The Daily Aasman, an Urdu newspaper, is also owned by Behl.
Officials said that Behl, who also runs some educational institutions in Jammu, was produced in a court on July 10 and that it sent him to four-day police remand. A report in IANS, quoting sources, said: “His disclosures led to evidence linking Bahl to 125 bank accounts through which he laundered Rs 128 crore to cleanse illicit funds and reintroduce them into the financial system. The accused owns 16 luxury cars. Evidence also suggests his involvement with senior bureaucrats and local politicians in Jammu and Kashmir.”
On Thursday, J&K police said that it had seized “some electronic gadgets and documents in presence of duty magistrates and independent witnesses” during raids at Behl’s properties in Jammu.
‘Amounted to incitement’
A police spokesperson accused Behl, whose friend-list on social media includes a senior retired army officer, J&K’s bureaucrats and some journalists among others, of “extracting sensitive and secret information and sharing such information which is highly detrimental to the security concerns of the State and further use it to spread disaffection within the government for narrow private interests of vested quarters.”
“The act of the accused also amounted to incite persons to commit any offence against another class or section of society. During the course of investigation, search warrants were obtained from the court and searches were conducted at the house of Tarun Behl situated at Channi Himmat and International British School, Chowadhi,” the spokesperson said.
The action against Behl comes nearly two months after a former J&K police officer was arrested under the Official Secrets Act for allegedly publishing “sensitive information” in his recently released book.
Mohammad Aslam Sheikh, who retired as superintendent of J&K police last year, was arrested from his Gandhi Nagar residence in Jammu city on the night of May 17 for publishing copies of First Information Reports and other “sensitive information” in his book.
The J&K police claimed that the retired officer, who had joined the force as an assistant sub-inspector, had violated the Official Secrets Act.
