February 6, 2003	Thursday	Zul Hijjah 4,1423

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NEW DELHI, Feb 5: The Indian army is probing two officers for apparently inadvertently leaking plans of an armour-led invasion of Pakistan at the height of the standoff last year between the two countries, news reports and officials said on Wednesday.

“The army has initiated court-martial proceedings against two senior officers for inadvertently leaking sensitive information at the height of the 10-month Operation Parakram last year,” the Indian Express said.

“Amidst fears that this information could have passed into Pakistani hands, the army launched an in-depth inquiry to ascertain to what extent the leak had damaged its operational plans,” the newspaper said.

Officials said the incident occurred in the sensitive Chhamb- Akhnoor sector, the scene of many armoured battles in past wars with Pakistan. The information was on a computer belonging to the 6 Armoured regiment that was sent to local dealers for upgradation and repairs.

“Unknown to the regiment’s senior officers, the computer’s hard disk contained the attack and battle plans of the armoured formations in the sector,” the newspaper said.

It said the dealers changed the hard disk containing the sensitive information and transferred it to a new computer which they supplied to the local university.

“Col Malhotra, the commanding officer of the regiment, as well as his adjutant, Capt Sanjiv Kumar, were held responsible for the leak and a court of inquiry was set up,” the report said.

Army spokesman Brigadier Sruti Kant was quoted on Wednesday as confirming the incident occurred during the height of the standoff between India and Pakistan.

“It was stupidity. The two officers are being punished,” the spokesman was quoted by news agencies as saying in New Delhi.