Leaked Scorpene data cannot be published, says Aussie court

NEW DELHI: An Australian court has granted temporary injunction against further publication of leaked Scorpene submarine data by ‘The Australian’ daily on an application

NEW DELHI: An Australian court has granted temporary injunction against further publication of leaked Scorpene submarine data by ‘The Australian’ daily on an application moved by French defence firm DCNS that was rocked by the leak scandal.

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The newspaper, which said the injunction was granted by the court, had earlier said it will publish the documents regarding the weapons system of the submarine on Monday but had not done so.

“DCNS, through the application filed, has demanded The Australian to remove the documents which it has published on its website and prevent further publishing of other documents,” the company’s headquarters in Paris said in a statement.

The firm’s lawyer had on Sunday told the newspaper that the publication of this “highly valuable document” causes a direct harm to DCNS and its customer in terms of spread of sensitive and restricted information, reputation.

Over 22,000 pages of top secret data on the capabilities of six highly advanced submarines being built for the Indian Navy in Mumbai in collaboration with the French company, have been leaked.

The French public prosecutor has opened a preliminary investigation into the leak, with DCNS filing a complaint of breach of trust.

Meanwhile, the Congress on Monday said the BJP-led NDA government and the Indian Navy were not on the same page on the Scorpene defence leaks. The party reiterated its demand for a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the leaks or a judicial inquiry by a sitting or retired SC judge.