India Orders French Envoy Out in 30 Days

India said today that it has ordered the French ambassador to leave the country in 30 days in a move believed connected to the investigation into the largest spy scandal in Indian history.

The government requested Wednesday that France order Serge Boidevaix home and the French agreed to withdraw the envoy, Foreign Ministry spokesman Salman Haidar told a press briefing.

Although Haidar declined to give the reason for Boidevaix’s removal, Foreign Ministry sources said it was in connection with a spy ring believed to have penetrated the highest levels of the Indian government.

The United News of India news agency and the Hindu newspaper reported that the move was a sequel to the departure of another French diplomat, Lt. Col. Alain Bolley, amid allegations that he had received classified documents from Indian officials. Bolley has denied the accusations.

News reports said the withdrawal does not imply that Boidevaix was involved in espionage but that he had to bear the responsibility for Bolley’s actions.

A total of 14 people have been charged with spying in India so far and others have been detained for questioning or are being sought. The spy ring allegedly penetrated the offices of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, President Zail Singh and the Defense Ministry.

Hundreds of photocopies of top-secret documents concerning military defense purchases, electronics information, India’s atomic energy program and sensitive internal political matters reportedly were seized in police raids.

The government has refused to name the foreign country that received the secrets.