The Central Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday arrested a suspended defence ministry official, whose name figured in the Tehelka arms deal scandal, under the Official Secrets Act.

The agency alleges that P Sasi, a former employee of Ordnance Supply Directorate, had violated the Official Secrets Act by passing out sensitive defence related information.

Sasi's name first came up in the Tehelka sting operation when he was caught on camera accepting money from scribes posing as defence suppliers from a UK-based fictitious firm.

He was suspended from the service after the expose on March 13, 2001.