DNA: New
Delhi: Wednesday, September 05, 2018.
The
Central Information Commission has directed the Ministry of External Affairs to
disclose the names of private individuals who have travelled with Prime
Minister Narendra Modi on foreign tours.
The
CIC's order came in response to a plea filed by one Karabi Das had approached
the ministry last October with an RTI plea seeking information on expenses
incurred on the foreign visits of the prime minister in 2015-16 and 2016-17
along with the list of people travelling with him.
He
approached the commission after no satisfactory information was provided.
The
ministry had demanded Rs 224 for providing the information which was deposited
by the applicant, activist Subhash Agrawal, who represented the applicant
during the hearing, told Chief Information Commissioner R K Mathur.
In
its submissions during the hearing, the ministry said no other data is
maintained in consolidated form regarding the visits of the prime minister
except date and place of visit and the expenses incurred on chartered flights.
The
ministry also told the commission that it will look into the matter with regard
to the payment of Rs 224 and will provide updated information.
"List
of private persons (not linked with security) who travelled with the Prime
Minister of India at government expenditure should be provided to the appellant
redacting names of other officials," Mathur ordered.