DAMOH, Madhya Pradesh – In a startling revelation, Damoh District Collector Pratap Narayan Yadav uncovered an alleged long-standing office bugging operation within his chamber after a confidential plan to conduct a surprise inspection was leaked prematurely.
The incident began when Collector Yadav, newly posted to Damoh, was discussing a surprise inspection within his private office. Moments later, the very department he intended to inspect called him, stating they had learned of his plans. “I did not divulge this to anyone. How could they know about a conversation that hasn’t left the room?” Yadav recounted, immediately raising red flags.
The Ingenious Trap to Confirm Eavesdropping
Initially suspecting an internal leak, Yadav soon believed his chamber itself might be compromised. Rather than launching a formal inquiry that could tip off potential culprits, he devised a clever test. He placed his mobile phone inside his chamber, playing a live news broadcast at a high volume, and then exited the room.
Yadav proceeded to the adjacent Personal Assistant (PA) room, typically occupied by support staff. There, he picked up a telephone receiver and was astonished to hear the same live news broadcast clearly playing through it from his own chamber. A senior official later confirmed, “The same audio could be heard through the receiver in the next room,” strong evidence that conversations were being intercepted.
Years of Alleged Surveillance
Reports suggest the alleged interception system may have been active for years, predating Yadav’s tenure in Damoh. Officials suspect that staff in the PA room routinely listened to confidential meetings, sensitive phone calls, and administrative discussions, allegedly relaying information to external parties, including those slated for inspections. Yadav alleged some employees were sharing confidential information “for personal gain or to curry favour with senior officials.”
Swift Action and Ongoing Investigation
Following the discovery, the administration acted swiftly. An Assistant Grade-3 employee, believed to be central to the operation, was suspended. A clerk who had been posted at the Collectorate for an unusually long period was transferred, and an office attendant was also removed and sent back to their original department.
Authorities have seized both telephone sets from the Collector’s office for forensic and technical examination. The probe aims to determine how the interception was configured, its duration, and who may have accessed the intercepted conversations. The investigation is also examining whether the alleged leak network extended beyond the three employees already facing action.