Agencies
NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued an order granting ten central intelligence and security agencies access to information stored, recieved or transmitted in computers.
The notice, issued on Thursday, says the agencies can intercept, monitor and decrypt “any information generated, transmitted, received or stored in any computer.”
These ten agencies are:
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(RAW)
Directorate of Signal Intelligence(For service areas of Jammu & Kashmir, North-East and Assam only)
Commissioner of Police, Delhi
The order, issued under Section 69(1) of the Information Technology Act, was signed by Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba.
The notification further explains that subscriber or service provider or any person in charge of the computer resource will have to share all facilities and technical assistance to the 10 listed agencies. Failure to do so will result in seven years jail and a fine.
With this, agencies can now conduct surveillance and monitor social media without prior approval from MHA.
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