New Delhi, Sept. 3: The home ministry has given its permission in principle to prosecute Ravinder Singh, a Research and Analysis Wing officer who was allegedly found to be working for the US intelligence more than two years ago.

According to official sources, the CBI has initiated chargesheet proceedings against the former RAW joint secretary under sections of the Official Secrets Act.

Once the chargesheet is filed, the CBI would give Singh, whose whereabouts are unknown, a chance to appear in court. If he does not turn up, a non-bailable warrant can be issued. If that does not help, he could be declared a proclaimed offender and an Interpol red-corner notice brought out, said a senior official.

The CBI investigation will take into account the findings of RAW’s internal inquiry against its former officer.

Singh, who went missing in May 14, 2004, was a major from the army on deputation with the RAW. He chose to be permanently absorbed there after completing his deputation.

He was dismissed by the President in June 2004 under Article 311(2) (c) of the Constitution. There is no provision for a judicial review of the decision.

Intelligence agencies believe Singh fled to America via Nepal with the help of his US handlers in late May 2004 after he was tipped off that he was being watched by RAW’s counter-intelligence wing for over a month. Although no definite leads are available, he is believed to be living in the US since then.

The former RAW joint secretary came under suspicion after a “slip” by a US diplomat working under cover at the American embassy. According to the sources, the US official, on a routine liaison session with RAW officers, happened to mention Singh’s name which made the senior intelligence sleuths suspicious.

The RAW then began a counter-surveillance operation against Singh. The counter-intelligence unit began tapping his phones and a spy camera was fitted in his office at the RAW headquarters.

The spy camera has reportedly shown Singh photocopying top-secret documents and other operational details of the country’s external intelligence agency.

During his tenure at RAW, Singh 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 portfolio as a joint secretary.

In Amritsar, his main task was collecting trans-border human intelligence about the Pakistan military and the training of Sikh terrorists by the ISI on Pakistani territory.

In West Asia, he monitored the activities of terrorist groups while in west Europe he focused on Sikh terrorist elements operating there.

CASE FILE

Chronology of events in the Ravinder Singh case

• In May 2004, Singh went missing
  
  
• In June 2004, he was dismissed
  
  
• The home ministry gave the prosecution go-ahead in September 2006
  
  
• If Singh does not appear in court, a warrant will be out, followed by a red-corner notice