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President’s programme sent to wrong e-mail ID

Anil Kumar Sastry

Chikmagalur official sends privileged information to Bangalore software engineer

BANGALORE: It is not every day that lesser mortals get the minute-by-minute details of the tour programme of the visit of the President.

But, H.S.Vishwanath, a software engineer working here, was privy to this unsolicited information from the Chikmagalur Deputy Commissioner regarding President Pratibha Patil’s visit to Sringeri on May 10.

In what could be termed serious breach of security of the first citizen, that too in a naxal-affected area such as Sringeri, the e-mail sent to Mr.Vishwanath lists the exact time of the arrival of the President at the Sringeri helipad. It also lists the details of her visit to the Sharadamba temple, the Vidyashankara temple, Narasimha Vana, meeting with Sri Bharathi Tirtha and her departure for Mangalore.

The mail, sent by the Deputy Commissioner of Chikmagalur ( deo.cmagalur@gmail.com) and initialled by his PA, was sent on April 28 at 7.05 p.m. with the subject line ‘TP of H.E. The President of India.’ It says, “Sir, please see the attachment.” The attachment with the heading ‘Tour Programme of H.E. the President of India to Sringeri on 10-05-2009,’ lists minute-by-minute details of the VVIP visit. Mr.Vishwanath said the information, if it had landed in wrong hands, could have disagreeable consequences as minute details of the programme of the President, who has maximum security cover, should not be made public.

So how did the e-mail land in his inbox? Mr.Vishwanath reckons that it is probably his ID, sringeri@gmail.com, which must have led the bureaucrats concerned to believe that he is a taluk-level official.

Not the first time

This is not the first time Mr.Vishwanath is getting such e-mails. Various other departments in the district have been sending assorted official information to his mail ID, including the voter lists of Sringeri, Koppa and Narasimharajapura taluks, distribution of ration cards and so on. He had replied to the senders making it clear he was not their intended recipient and that they stop sending him such information.

DC to inquire

When contacted, Chikmagalur Deputy Commissioner R.Narayanaswamy said the mail ID, through which the President’s tour programme was sent, was “created for election purposes and it will not be used further.” He would look into the incident even as he acknowledged that he had directed his subordinates to send the e-mails.

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