As reported on zeenews.com on 01 April 2008:
Zee News - cic CIC to govt: Place Ambassador`s letters on Oil-for-food scam
New Delhi, March 31: The Central Information Commission has directed the Centre to present before it copies of letters sent by Indian Ambassador in Iraq to the government in 2004 allegedly giving details on non-contractual beneficiaries in the Oil-for-food scam.
The Commission passed the order on an
RTI application filed by Bangalore-resident Arun Kumar Agrawal who was denied the details on the ground that divulging the information would affect India's relations with Iraq.
Observing that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is silent as to how it would affect the relations with Iraq, the
CIC decided to go through the letters to verify the government's stand.
"(The Ministry's reply) is silent as to in what manner the disclosure will affect relations with the foreign states... For these reasons, information officer MEA is directed to present the letters for our examination in a sealed cover," the Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah said.
Agrawal in his application had sought disclosure of letters from then Indian Ambassador to Iraq dated January 28 2004.
He contended some private entities were involved in the scam and the information sought by him would exposing them.