MHA authorizes 10 central agencies to snoop on computers

New Delhi, Dec 21: Ten central agencies can now intercept, monitor and decrypt "any information generated, transmitted, received or stored in any computer" as per the Ministry of Home Affairs order.

As per the Ministry of Home Affairs order, intelligence agencies (in the attached statement) are authorized for purposes of interception, monitoring and decryption of any information generated, transmitted, received or stored in any computer resource under the said act.

The 10 agencies with the freedom to peek into any computer are the Intelligence Bureau, Narcotics Control Bureau, Enforcement Directorate, Central Board of Direct Taxes, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Central Bureau of Investigation, National Investigation Agency, Cabinet Secretariat (R&AW), Directorate of Signal Intelligence (For service areas of Jammu & Kashmir, North-East and Assam only) and Commissioner of Police, Delhi.

Commenting on the MHA order, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said, "Not studied the matter, but if anybody is going to monitor computers then it is an Orwellian state (a condition that George Orwell identified as destructive for a free society)."