अपि शक्या गतिर्ज्ञातुं पततां खे पतत्रिणां

अपि शक्या गतिर्ज्ञातुं पततां खे पतत्रिणां।

न तु प्रच्छन्नभावानां युक्तानां चरतां गतिः॥

कौटिलीय अर्थशास्त्रे २-१०-३७

api śakyā gatirjñātuṁ patatāṁ khe patatriṇāṁ|

na tu pracchannabhāvānāṁ yuktānāṁ caratāṁ gatiḥ||

kauṭilīya arthaśāstre 2-10-37

With some well directed efforts and diligence one can even track the movements of birds negotiating huge distances across the sky. However the movements and machinations of the employees of the Crown, the deputies of the King, are virtually impossible to understand or track. The spontaneous façade they wear is honesty and geniality but such appearances are entirely deceptive.

This is from the master Chanakya giving his views on the subject in his magnum opus…Arthashastra