Major General (Retired) V.K. Singh approaches the Supreme Court seeking copies of top-secret CBI documents linked to his book on RAW. The case raises critical questions on national security, secrecy, and access to sensitive intelligence information.
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NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court of India has issued notice in a petition filed by Major General (Retired) V.K. Singh, seeking copies of documents related to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case registered against him. The case pertains to allegations that Singh revealed classified information in his book, “India’s External Intelligence – Secrets of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).”
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Background of the Case
Singh’s petition challenges a September 2025 decision of the Delhi High Court, which allowed him to inspect sensitive documents but denied him physical copies. Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing Singh, argued before a Supreme Court bench comprising Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi that Singh required actual copies of the documents, not just inspection rights.
The documents are part of a CBI investigation registered under Sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923, and Sections 409 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. The CBI had opposed the supply of hard copies, citing their sensitive and classified nature.
Legal Proceedings So Far
In 2023, the Delhi High Court refused to quash the CBI case against Singh. At that time, Justice Mukta Gupta noted that the potential impact of Singh’s book on national security was a matter for trial and could not be decided by the courts.
A complaint was initially filed by B. Bhattacharjee, Deputy Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, which led to the registration of an FIR on September 20, 2007. The allegations claimed that Singh disclosed secret information through his publication. Singh, however, maintained that his book aimed to expose corruption and lack of accountability in India’s external intelligence agency.
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The CBI, on the other hand, contended that the book contained classified information, including details about “top secret” technology upgrades. The Delhi High Court previously observed that while Singh highlighted irregularities within RAW, his reproduction of sensitive recommendations verbatim from a Group of Ministers (GOM) report went beyond permissible limits.
Key Issues
- Access to Documents: Singh argues for physical copies of CBI documents, while the agency claims that such sensitive documents cannot be handed over.
- National Security Concerns: Courts have repeatedly emphasized that the impact on India’s sovereignty and security can only be determined at trial.
- Freedom vs Confidentiality: Singh maintains that his book was intended to raise accountability issues, whereas authorities contend it revealed classified intelligence information.
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Case Title:
V.K. SINGH vs CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
