Home Ministry targets Tehelka source, serves show-cause notice
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

NEW DELHI, MARCH 26: Four days after initiating an ``inquiry'' against its director Thomas Mathew for allegedly hatching the Tehelka expose from his North Block office, the Union Home Ministry today served a show-cause notice on him.

Ministry officials say they have taken cognisance of news reports pointing out that Thomas used to entertain Tehelka's special correspondent Samuel Mathew in his office regularly and would ``spew venom on George Fernandes''

The reports had also said that Thomas boasted of his connections with CPM's Harkishan Surjeet, Sitaram Yachuri and former Prime Minister V.P. Singh.

A Home Ministry spokesperson today said the inquiry against Thomas -- a Central Secretariat Service (CSS) officer recruited in 1975 -- would also probe allegations that he leaked classified information and violated official conduct rules. ``It has been brought to the Government's notice that despite being a Government servant, (Thomas) Mathew has actively participated in political activities and associated himself with the activities of political parties and organisations having political connections. Appropriate action will be taken after completion of the inquiry,'' he added.

This is not all against Thomas. ``He is also reported to have entered into several transactions of immovable and movable property without prior or subsequent intimation to the government as required under the conduct rules''.

It is being held that Mathew was also found to be prima-facie involved in an earlier leakage of classified information, for which an inquiry is already on separately.

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