Kautilya's Arthashastra 12.3.9

12.3.9

ye cainaṃ yācyam arthaṃ na yācante tān sattriṇo brūyuḥ - "uktaḥ śūnyapālo rājñā "yācyam artham asau cāsau ca mā na yācate, kim anyat svadoṣaśaṅkitatvāt, teṣām uddharaṇe prayatasva" iti //

Spies may also tell those who do not demand their due from the king that the officer in charge of waste lands has been told: "Such and such persons do not demand their due from me. What else can be the reason than their suspicion about my knowledge of their guilt? So make attempts to put them down." Then the spies may proceed in their usual way.