The Delhi high court on Friday asked the Centre to examine Google's Maps showing Indian defense installations, nuclear power plants and other sensitive locations. A bench of chief justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath asked additional solicitor general Sanjay Jain to look into the matter and inform the court about the procedure being followed.

But the court refused to restrain Google from putting such maps in the public domain. Petitioner Lokesh Kumar Sharma had sought the court's directions to restrain Google from making available maps and images of sensitive and defense establishments.

He cited the Pathankot attack and alleged the government appeared to be "absolutely negligent and callous in preventing Google from displaying such maps"

"The respondent has put up very detailed high resolution images of Pathankot airbase and surrounding areas on Google Earth and Google Maps,'' said the petitioner. "However, there seems to be no opposition or objection from any quarter to the display of images of Pathankot airbase on Google Maps and Google Earth.''

Sharma alleged that Google induced public to give information regarding maps and images including those of sensitive installations under the garb of Mapathon competition. "One Vishal Saini, who had mapped Pathankot and its surroundings including the Air force station at Pathankot, was adjudged and ranked No 1 in Mapathon 2013. Respondent No 2 (Google) conducts Mapathon every year," the petition claimed.

Sharma said Google has no right to provide or make available maps and images of sensitive installations as it "adversely undermines'' the country's security.

He pointed out Google only shows older locations of defence installations of developed nations like USA. Sharma added such sites in China are masked.

"The moment the cursor is pointed to China clear images immediately turn cloudy and entire China mysteriously gets cloud ridden with hardly any observable geo-physical feature,'' he said.

He said China is said to have more than four air bases in Tibet bordering India. "Google, however, did not show a single (Chinese) air base in Tibet. On the other hand, Indian Air Force Stations in the North East are shown with minute details of the air bases.'' Sharma pointed out ex-President A P J Abdul Kalam had warned of serious consequences of Google providing maps and images of sensitive installations in view of growing terror threats.

Sharma said Google is aware of serious consequences of providing images and maps of sensitive locations. "The maps and images provide minute details regarding sensitive installations and surrounding areas showing in detail roads, streets, lanes, waterways, streams, canals, sewage lines, buildings etc with precise dimensions including the distance, length, width and height of buildings, walls, towers and everything in and around the sensitive installations and defense establishments,'' said Sharma.