Canadian bureaucrats under fire for sending sensitive data through BlackBerry

MANY top Indian bureaucrats at the level of joint secretaries or secretaries may find their BlackBerry handset convenient for exchanging sensitive data, but their counterparts in Canada have come under fire for using a BlackBerry feature called PIN messaging to discuss sensitive information. Significantly, Canada is home to BlackBerry, one of the most popular smart phones around the world.

According to media reports published in Canada, senior Canadian bureaucrats are virtually playing with fire by sending sensitive government information on their BlackBerry. The debate was sparked off by wire service called The Canadian Press recently. The privacy commissioner and the federal agency responsible for information security have reportedly asked the bureaucrats not to use the PIN service for sending sensitive material. But the mobile-happy bureaucrats in Canada are still using the PIN service as it’s an easier tool to handle and is also faster than emails. The report further said that it is only a perception that such messaging systems are secure because they are encrypted and not stored, but they can actually be cracked.

The views of the Canadian company RIM, the maker of BlackBerry, were not however incorporated in the media reports.

In India, the Union home ministry has been threatening for a ban of BlackBerry service if intelligence agencies fail to get access to their encrypted messaging system, but the ministry kept on extending the deadlines. After all, the ban on BlackBerry in India would impact none other than ministers and senior bureaucrats among others!

R Vineel Krishna freed by Maoists

R Vineel Krishna, the 2005 batch Orissa cadre IAS who was abducted by Maoist extremists last Wednesday was released at Chitrakonda in Malkangiri district on Tuesday night. Krishna is the collector of Malkangiri district. Both R Vineel Krishna and junior engineer Pabitra Majhi were freed moment after an announcement was made at a joint press conference held by mediators and government officials that they would be released within 48 hours. According to reports, thousands of people of Malkangiri town came out on roads to celebrate. 

Munna Bhai MBBS: Home ministry insider Ravinder Singh arrested for leaking Blackberry related documents

HE WAS an MBBS before joining the prestigious IAS in 1994. Unlike many other IAS who don the title “Dr” thanks to their on-the-job scholarly pursuits in universities, Dr Ravinder Singh, a West Bengal cadre IAS and a director in home ministry, is a real doctor who chose to become a civil servant.

Call him Ravinder Bhai MBBS who turned a Khalnayak of power corridors on Monday when he was arrested by investigating agency CBI after both his office and residence were raided. He was under surveillance for the last one month on the suspicion that he has been leaking sensitive documents related to the controversial Blackberry issue to a section of corporate. He has been a director in home ministry from January, 2010, and as a key official of the internal security division of the MHA, he has been handling many a sensitive documents and subjects including the Blackberry dispute in which home ministry has been asking the Canadian company RIM, the maker of Blackberry phone, to give the government access to their secret codes for security reasons.

This is the second major embarrassment for the home ministry during this year. In April, CBI searched the houses of two MHA officers including one of O Ravi, a 1983 batch IAS and joint secretary in MHA. Mr Ravi allegedly accepted a bribe of Rs 25 lakh from a private distiller. Another ministry official, RS Sharma, a director, was booked for accepting bribes to favour a bulletproof jacket firm.

Supreme Court raises questions about Thomas’ appointment as CVC

The Supreme Court on Monday raised questions about the controversial appointment of P J Thomas, a 1973 batch Kerala cadre IAS as Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) who is an accused in a criminal case. Thomas, who had served as chief secretary of Kerala and Union telecom secretary, was appointed as CVC on September 7, 2010 despite massive protests by the BJP. A bench headed by Chief Justice S H Kapadia also observed that Thomas as the CVC will himself feel embarrassed due to the pending criminal case against him as in every case the CBI will be dealing with him. Thomas’ name figures in a chargesheet in the palmolein import case.