Firstpost impact: Brahmos HQ' security breach' probe being revisited, no 'clean chit' yet

Following an exclusive Firstpost report, the probe into the allegations that a retired senior scientist of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) was involved in a high-level security breach at BrahMos Aerospace Pvt Ltd (BAPL) headquarters is being revisited.

This reporter had accessed an internal BrahMos investigation report that mentioned that Dr Sudhir Mishra, ex-Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD) of BAPL was allegedly responsible for a major security breach involving confidential files, including Indo-Russian BrahMos files, that may have been of great importance to national security.

An internal investigation by BrahMos had noted that he took these files out– undocumented and without authorisation– on the day of his retirement. He returned them almost a month later. Firstpost reported the development on May 1.

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The Directorate of Public Interface (DPI), DRDO, told this reporter on May 2 that the organisation had “received a complaint against Dr Sudhir Kumar Mishra, Ex-CEO & MD of BrahMos Aerospace. Based upon the complaint, a Fact Finding Inquiry Committee [FFIC] was formed by Secretary DDR&D and Chairman DRDO.” However, he said, “the committee didn’t find any evidence to back the allegation levied.”

Firstpost has now learnt that this de facto “clean chit” given to Dr Mishra by the FFIC, as well as the serious allegations against him, are being revisited. According to the contents of an internal DRDO email seen by this reporter, this move comes in the light of media reports and the absence of a statement by the BrahMos CEO, who constituted the initial investigation into the “security breach in BrahMos HQ” at that time.

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The email, sent on May 6, was also marked to DRDO Chairman, Dr Samir V Kamat and Dr Sanjai K Dwivedi, Directorate of Personnel (DoP).

When asked by this reporter, a highly-placed DRDO source who is a part of the FFIC and privy to the developments regarding this probe, acknowledged that the inquiry is being revisited and that the committee is looking for more information. “We had to end the investigation […] As we started closing it, we needed more information. Now we are waiting for some more information. When that comes in, then probably it will be completed,” they said.

It is interesting to note that the email stating the revisitation of the probe on the grounds of media reports and the lack of BrahMos CEO’s statement was sent less than a week after Firstpost’s initial exclusive reports on the matter of the security breach.

“There is no clean chit […] The process is not complete, because efforts to try and find more information are still on. Without this information, it can’t be said that something is right or wrong. We are in the middle of the process,” the source said, requesting anonymity.

The FFIC was created to look into the grave allegations of unauthorised removal and possession of the clandestine documents by Dr Mishra.

There was no clear answer on whether the inquiry in the matter was stalled for nearly three years, from 2021 to May 2024. What new information has finally come to light regarding these allegations and what the next course of action concerning the probe might be remains unclear.

Firstpost got in touch with the Directorate of Public Interface (DPI), DRDO, for his response to the new development but he refused to comment despite multiple attempts. The response will be incorporated in the story if and when received.