India’s external spy agency the Research & Analysis Wing is spooked by the alleged objectionable contents of a recently released book authored by its former official RK Yadav, ‘Mission R&AW’.
The book’s revelations on the alleged roles of three retired top R&AW officials in abetting the activities of its turncoat, then joint secretary Rabinder Singh, who defected to the United States in May 2004 under the tutelage of his Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) handlers, have caught the attention of the security establishment, said a senior intelligence official. “It is being examined whether some of the book’s contents, which are usually a mix of unverified facts and gossip, are against the provisions of the Official Secrets Act,” said the official.
The official said, “We want to know what or who were the sources relied upon by Yadav’s book since the kind of details he passes on as secrets were never accessible to him during his service, (from which he was dismissed in 1989 by an order of the President of India).” The R&AW is also verifying if the location of certain Nepal-based operative has been allegedly disclosed, said the official. “Spy agencies of neighbouring countries are using the book’s wrong details for spreading disinformation,” he said.
According to the book, a few hours before Rabinder Singh boarded the Austrian Air- 5032 flight to Washington from Kathmandu on May 7, 2004, his minders from the CIA in tow, he had allegedly called up the Delhi phone number of a then top R&AW official. When HT contacted Yadav, he said the book’s details on Singh were based on his “conversation” with his “sources in R&AW who had access to the findings of its internal inquiry conducted after Singh had fled to determine lapses”.
{{/usCountry}}According to the book, a few hours before Rabinder Singh boarded the Austrian Air- 5032 flight to Washington from Kathmandu on May 7, 2004, his minders from the CIA in tow, he had allegedly called up the Delhi phone number of a then top R&AW official. When HT contacted Yadav, he said the book’s details on Singh were based on his “conversation” with his “sources in R&AW who had access to the findings of its internal inquiry conducted after Singh had fled to determine lapses”.
{{/usCountry}}Yadav told HT, “The details are all correct in my book. The agency’s inquiry report on Rabinder Singh is with the cabinet secretariat and the Prime Minister’s Office since then.” He denied that his book had disclosed any detail on any serving R&AW operative in Nepal.