New Delhi, March 2
A stray ‘pin-shaped device’ in Defence Minister AK Antony’s office on the first floor of the South Block has sent security officials into a tizzy after a suspicion was raised that it could be a bug (a remote electronic listening device). 

The Intelligence Bureau (IB) was asked to carry out a thorough ‘sweep’ of the room but nothing ‘worrying’ was found.

The government, on its part, denied that Antony's office was “bugged”. “Routine checks are conducted in the offices of the Defence Minister and other officers in the South Block. Nothing has been found in these checks,” Defence Ministry spokesperson Sitanshu Kar said.

The pin-shaped device was found in the minister’s office on February 16. Subsequently, IB sleuths were called by Defence Secretary Shashikant Sharma. 

In security parlance, “cleaning and sweeping” of any room means using sophisticated equipment to detect any small wireless listening device that could be implanted in sensitive areas. Such devices — some less than one centimetre in size — constantly emit signals and can be detected only through a surveillance device.

The rooms of the Defence Minister and five senior officials of the Defence Ministry are “swept” randomly by intelligence wings of the three services — the Army, the Navy and the IAF. A suspicious device was detected on February 16 by one such team carrying a hand- held surveillance device that can pick up unusual signals.

Sources described Antony’s office as “very sensitive”. Visitors are screened and are not allowed to take in any electronic device, including mobile phones. Apart from high-level defence meetings, national security plans are also discussed in Antony’s office. 

“Also, Antony wields immense power in the Congress. So, there would be many people who would like to know what happens behind the closed doors,” said a senior official, explaining the need for extra caution.

Last year, an adhesive-like substance was recovered from 16 places in the Finance Ministry’s office. At that time too, it was suspected that the substance might have been used to implant electronic listening devices. An inquiry was ordered. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had called in a snooping team of the Central Board of Direct Taxes that works under him and not opted for the services of the IB, the Military Intelligence or the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO). 

Later, Mukherjee had dismissed apprehensions of a security breach. After a thorough probe, it was found that the adhesive-like substance was chewing gum left behind by the cleaning staff. 

Earlier in the day, when reports of Antony’s office being “bugged” came out, BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar sought an explanation from the government.