The Delhi Police on Thursday arrested five persons, including two officials of the Petroleum Ministry, for allegedly leaking confidential government documents to private companies.
 
Sources said a clerical staff and a peon of the Petroleum Ministry were apprehended by the police who said provisions of Official Secrets Act may be slapped on them.

"In the past, the documents used to be freely transferred out... The new government is very conscious on the leakages and agencies have been put on surveillance. Something has come out, let's wait for the probe," Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said.

The documents of the ministry were allegedly leaked to business houses to influence the government's policy matters ahead of the annual Budget scheduled to be presented in Parliament later this month.

The sources said the two Petroleum Ministry employees used to provide confidential information to private companies for money.