Over two-and-a-half years after he fled the country, open non-bailable warrants (NBWs) have been issued against former RAW official Rabinder Singh and his wife Parbinder Kaur. Singh was dismissed as joint secretary of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) on charges of spying.
The warrants, sources said, were issued against Singh after a joint secretary-level official submitted a detailed complaint in the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Seema Maini.
The complaint says that a case has been registered under the Officials Secrets Act against Singh, who fled the country on May 14, 2004. It is suspected that Singh compromised national security by spying for a western intelligence agency.
However, 32-months after Singh fled the country, RAW has been unable to pinpoint his exact location. "In the complaint submitted to the court, the agency has only said that Singh and his wife are somewhere in the Unites States of America but have failed to say where exactly they are," a senior official said. "Since his exact location is not known, no timeframe can be given to bring him back. This is why the court had to issue open NBWs against him," an official said.
Singh was placed under surveillance when he was allegedly found photocopying documents unrelated to his work. A secret report said Rabinder Singh, whose wife and other family members lived in the US, had bank accounts in Singapore, Brunei and the US. Singh, who apparently knew that he was under surveillance, suddenly disappeared on May 14, 2004.
{{/usCountry}}Singh was placed under surveillance when he was allegedly found photocopying documents unrelated to his work. A secret report said Rabinder Singh, whose wife and other family members lived in the US, had bank accounts in Singapore, Brunei and the US. Singh, who apparently knew that he was under surveillance, suddenly disappeared on May 14, 2004.
{{/usCountry}}The joint secretary's disappearance was a major embarrassment for the government and RAW, who failed explain how he managed to escape and why there was a delay in taking action against him. Singh was joint-secretary (Southeast Asia). He is suspected to have fled via Nepal.
Singh, who was on deputation to RAW, chose to be permanently with the agency. He worked as head of its office in Amritsar and then as a field operative in West Asia and West Europe. Later, he held charge of the Southeast Asia desk as a joint secretary.