A confidential document from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) was leaked to a senior journalist in Delhi, triggering disciplinary action that ultimately cost an official his job, according to a report recalling an earlier episode.
The account is set during the tenure of former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao, who led a minority government with outside support and is credited with easing strict state controls over the economy. The period saw steps to simplify approvals for businesses, open sectors to private investment, reduce import duties and encourage global companies to invest and trade in India.
The report says a prominent political editor had unusually close access to the Prime Minister, including direct phone calls and entry to the Prime Minister’s residence with minimal checks—an advantage that helped him publish frequent “exclusive” stories ahead of rivals.
As the government prepared a new industrial policy in consultation with then Finance Minister Manmohan Singh, the draft was said to exist in only four copies—held by the Prime Minister, the Cabinet Secretary, the Finance Minister and a special officer in the PMO. The journalist reportedly obtained the draft papers before the policy was officially released.
The leak, described as a breach of trust within the PMO, became a flashpoint and led to action against the official linked to the documents, the report said.
