Defence ministry denies bugging in Antony's office

The government today vehemently denied that defence minister AK Antony's office was "bugged", but clarified that routine security sweeps were done at his office and nothing was found during such checks.

The government on Friday vehemently denied that defence minister AK Antony's office was "bugged", but clarified that routine security sweeps were done at his office and nothing was found during such checks.

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"Reports of ‘bugging’ in the South Block in a section of the media is, hereby, denied," defence ministry spokesperson Sitanshu Kar said in an official statement in New Delhi.

"Routine checks are conducted in the offices of the defence minister and other officers in South Block. Nothing has been found in these checks," Kar said.

Reports had suggested that on Feb 16, during a routine check by military intelligence personnel at Antony's office in Room number 104 on the first floor of South Block, "a discrepancy" was found.

This resulted in the defence ministry officials asking the military intelligence men to vacate the room and home ministry's help was sought to carry out a counter-sweep of the room.

It was suggested that the Intelligence Bureau men were called to conduct the counter-checks.

The report had also claimed that the "needle of suspicion pointed at the army" for the bugging.

This prompted the army headquarters to term the report "totally false" and "fictitious".

The army, in an SMS, said: "The report that has appeared regarding the bug in the defence minister's office is totally false. The article is fictitious."