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{{other people||Rabinder Singh (disambiguation){{!}}Rabinder Singh}} | {{other people||Rabinder Singh (disambiguation){{!}}Rabinder Singh}} | ||
{{Use dmy dates|date=September | {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}} | ||
{{Use Indian English|date=September | {{Use Indian English|date=September 2019}} | ||
[[File:Rabinder Singh (intelligence officer).jpg|thumb|150px]] | [[File:Rabinder Singh (intelligence officer).jpg|thumb|150px]] | ||
'''Rabinder Singh''' was a joint secretary in the [[Research and Analysis Wing]] (R&AW), India's external [[intelligence agency]], who defected to the United States in 2004.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.indiadaily.com/editorial/06-09-04.asp |title=Was missing spy Rabinder Singh a CIA mole in RAW? The real behind the scene story |accessdate=2005-09-06 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20051205162048/http://www.indiadaily.com/editorial/06-09-04.asp |archivedate=2005-12-05 }} "Was missing spy Rabinder Singh a CIA mole in RAW? The real behind the scene story" (India Daily)</ref><ref>[http://www.zhatak.com/FeatureZone/AllThatMatters.aspx?Id=231 Spy versus Spy: Games India and the US play]</ref> He died in a road accident in the United States in late 2016.<ref name=rawrav1/> | '''Rabinder Singh''' was a joint secretary in the [[Research and Analysis Wing]] (R&AW), India's external [[intelligence agency]], who defected to the United States in 2004.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.indiadaily.com/editorial/06-09-04.asp |title=Was missing spy Rabinder Singh a CIA mole in RAW? The real behind the scene story |accessdate=2005-09-06 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20051205162048/http://www.indiadaily.com/editorial/06-09-04.asp |archivedate=2005-12-05 }} "Was missing spy Rabinder Singh a CIA mole in RAW? The real behind the scene story" (India Daily)</ref><ref>[http://www.zhatak.com/FeatureZone/AllThatMatters.aspx?Id=231 Spy versus Spy: Games India and the US play]</ref> He died in a road accident in the United States in late 2016.<ref name=rawrav1/> | ||
==Defection== | ==Defection== | ||
Singh initially served in the [[Indian Army]], reaching the rank of [[Major (rank)|Major]].<ref>{{cite news | url=http://in.rediff.com/news/2005/may/19raman.htm | title=Remember Rabinder Singh? | date=23 May 2005 | publisher=Rediff | accessdate=14 September 2019 }}</ref> He later volunteered to join R&AW. It has been alleged that he fell for a [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] honey-trap, likely either at the R&AW station in Damascus or Hague during the early 1990s by a lady case officer of the CIA.<ref name=rawrav1>[https://www.firstpost.com/india/rabinder-singh-spy-who-defected-to-us-is-no-more-double-agent-lived-his-last-years-as-a-remorseful-recluse-4688341.html Rabinder Singh, spy who defected to US, is no more: Double agent lived his last years as a remorseful recluse], First Post, 7 July 2018.</ref> According to reports, he attracted attention from [[counter-intelligence]] officials when he was found photocopying documents not related to his work. After coming under suspicion, he was placed under surveillance and his phone conversations were tapped, but in May 2004, he disappeared. A former senior RAW official in 2018 commented that RAW's own intransigence at not handing over the investigation to the Intelligence Bureau was to blame for his defection.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/two-wayfarers-on-the-bridge-of-spies/300246| title = The Spy Chronicles: Two Wayfarers On The Bridge Of Spies {{!}} Outlook India Magazine| date = 4 February 2022}}</ref> He is suspected of having escaped to the [[United States|U.S.]] via [[Nepal]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2113/stories/20040702004403200.htm |title=Our Man in New Delhi |accessdate=2008-04-28 |url-status=usurped |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080329115754/http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2113/stories/20040702004403200.htm |archivedate=2008-03-29 }} "Our Man in New Delhi" (Frontline)</ref> In ''Mission R&AW'', a book written by a former R&AW officer, it is claimed that Singh flew to America from Kathmandu along with his wife on 7 May 2004 using a fake identity in the name of Mr and Mrs Rajpal Prasad Sharma. The R&AW unit at Kathmandu did nothing despite clear intelligence on Singh's escape plans. It is also claimed{{By whom|date=May | Singh initially served in the [[Indian Army]], reaching the rank of [[Major (rank)|Major]].<ref>{{cite news | url=http://in.rediff.com/news/2005/may/19raman.htm | title=Remember Rabinder Singh? | date=23 May 2005 | publisher=Rediff | accessdate=14 September 2019 }}</ref> He later volunteered to join R&AW. It has been alleged that he fell for a [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] honey-trap, likely either at the R&AW station in Damascus or Hague during the early 1990s by a lady case officer of the CIA.<ref name=rawrav1>[https://www.firstpost.com/india/rabinder-singh-spy-who-defected-to-us-is-no-more-double-agent-lived-his-last-years-as-a-remorseful-recluse-4688341.html Rabinder Singh, spy who defected to US, is no more: Double agent lived his last years as a remorseful recluse], First Post, 7 July 2018.</ref> According to reports, he attracted attention from [[counter-intelligence]] officials when he was found photocopying documents not related to his work. After coming under suspicion, he was placed under surveillance and his phone conversations were tapped, but in May 2004, he disappeared. A former senior RAW official in 2018 commented that RAW's own intransigence at not handing over the investigation to the Intelligence Bureau was to blame for his defection.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/two-wayfarers-on-the-bridge-of-spies/300246| title = The Spy Chronicles: Two Wayfarers On The Bridge Of Spies {{!}} Outlook India Magazine| date = 4 February 2022}}</ref> He is suspected of having escaped to the [[United States|U.S.]] via [[Nepal]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2113/stories/20040702004403200.htm |title=Our Man in New Delhi |accessdate=2008-04-28 |url-status=usurped |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080329115754/http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2113/stories/20040702004403200.htm |archivedate=2008-03-29 }} "Our Man in New Delhi" (Frontline)</ref> In ''Mission R&AW'', a book written by a former R&AW officer, it is claimed that Singh flew to America from Kathmandu along with his wife on 7 May 2004 using a fake identity in the name of Mr and Mrs Rajpal Prasad Sharma. The R&AW unit at Kathmandu did nothing despite clear intelligence on Singh's escape plans. It is also claimed{{By whom|date=May 2014}} that R&AW managed to get copies of their visas and embarkation cards. These documents reveal that the CIA, on 7 April 2004, issued US passport number 017384251 to Singh. His wife Parminder Kaur was also given a US passport on the same day in the name of Deepa Kumar Sharma. Both boarded Austrian Air flight number 5032 on 7 May 2004, from Kathmandu. He was assisted by CIA operative David M Vacala.<ref>{{cite news|last=Yadav|first=Yatish|title=Former Spy Reveals Secrets of Research and Analysis Wing|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/Former-Spy-Reveals-Secrets-of-Research-and-Analysis-Wing/2014/04/06/article2151632.ece|accessdate=6 April 2014|newspaper=The New Indian Express}}</ref> | ||
==Tracking in the USA by R&AW== | ==Tracking in the USA by R&AW== | ||
In 2007, in an affidavit submitted to the court, R&AW deposed that Singh has been traced to [[New Jersey]].<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.indianexpress.com/story/15865.html|title = Rabinder in US, we want him back: RAW in court - Indian Express|website = www.indianexpress.com|access-date = 2016-04-05|url-status = dead|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080307091854/http://www.indianexpress.com/story/15865.html|archivedate = 2008-03-07}}</ref> It is believed{{By whom|date=May | In 2007, in an affidavit submitted to the court, R&AW deposed that Singh has been traced to [[New Jersey]].<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.indianexpress.com/story/15865.html|title = Rabinder in US, we want him back: RAW in court - Indian Express|website = www.indianexpress.com|access-date = 2016-04-05|url-status = dead|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080307091854/http://www.indianexpress.com/story/15865.html|archivedate = 2008-03-07}}</ref> It is believed{{By whom|date=May 2014}} that, meanwhile, Singh has filed for [[Right of asylum|asylum]] in US, under the name of ''Surenderjeet Singh'', which was rejected by the trial court but remanded back for reconsideration by the court of appeals.<ref>http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/ca9/newopinions.nsf/1979AF53DE5277E988256F7200806B72/$file/0371868.pdf?openelement {{Bare URL PDF|date=September 2022}}</ref> There has been no official proof however that Surenderjeet Singh is an alias of Rabinder Singh.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/i-worked-for-raw-was-told-to-kill-a-sikh-leader-asylum-plea-in-us-court/228147/|title = I worked for RAW, was told to kill a Sikh leader: Asylum plea in US court - Indian Express|website = archive.indianexpress.com|access-date = 2016-04-05}}</ref> | ||
However, there has been no conclusive findings of whether he defected to the USA or Europe. | However, there has been no conclusive findings of whether he defected to the USA or Europe. | ||
Latest revision as of 15:21, 21 December 2022
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Rabinder Singh was a joint secretary in the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), India's external intelligence agency, who defected to the United States in 2004.[1][2] He died in a road accident in the United States in late 2016.[3]
Defection[edit | edit source]
Singh initially served in the Indian Army, reaching the rank of Major.[4] He later volunteered to join R&AW. It has been alleged that he fell for a CIA honey-trap, likely either at the R&AW station in Damascus or Hague during the early 1990s by a lady case officer of the CIA.[3] According to reports, he attracted attention from counter-intelligence officials when he was found photocopying documents not related to his work. After coming under suspicion, he was placed under surveillance and his phone conversations were tapped, but in May 2004, he disappeared. A former senior RAW official in 2018 commented that RAW's own intransigence at not handing over the investigation to the Intelligence Bureau was to blame for his defection.[5] He is suspected of having escaped to the U.S. via Nepal.[6] In Mission R&AW, a book written by a former R&AW officer, it is claimed that Singh flew to America from Kathmandu along with his wife on 7 May 2004 using a fake identity in the name of Mr and Mrs Rajpal Prasad Sharma. The R&AW unit at Kathmandu did nothing despite clear intelligence on Singh's escape plans. It is also claimed[by whom?] that R&AW managed to get copies of their visas and embarkation cards. These documents reveal that the CIA, on 7 April 2004, issued US passport number 017384251 to Singh. His wife Parminder Kaur was also given a US passport on the same day in the name of Deepa Kumar Sharma. Both boarded Austrian Air flight number 5032 on 7 May 2004, from Kathmandu. He was assisted by CIA operative David M Vacala.[7]
Tracking in the USA by R&AW[edit | edit source]
In 2007, in an affidavit submitted to the court, R&AW deposed that Singh has been traced to New Jersey.[8] It is believed[by whom?] that, meanwhile, Singh has filed for asylum in US, under the name of Surenderjeet Singh, which was rejected by the trial court but remanded back for reconsideration by the court of appeals.[9] There has been no official proof however that Surenderjeet Singh is an alias of Rabinder Singh.[10]
However, there has been no conclusive findings of whether he defected to the USA or Europe.
Death[edit | edit source]
According to Indian government sources, he was killed in Maryland in the USA in a road accident in late 2016. He was living there as a refugee, having been cash strapped after the CIA had stopped paying him money. US intelligence had blocked his application for asylum and his attempts to obtain a job with a think tank run by a former CIA senior officer were blocked too.[3]
See also[edit | edit source]
External sources[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ "Was missing spy Rabinder Singh a CIA mole in RAW? The real behind the scene story". Archived from the original on 5 December 2005. Retrieved 6 September 2005. "Was missing spy Rabinder Singh a CIA mole in RAW? The real behind the scene story" (India Daily)
- ↑ Spy versus Spy: Games India and the US play
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Rabinder Singh, spy who defected to US, is no more: Double agent lived his last years as a remorseful recluse, First Post, 7 July 2018.
- ↑ "Remember Rabinder Singh?". Rediff. 23 May 2005. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
- ↑ "The Spy Chronicles: Two Wayfarers On The Bridge Of Spies | Outlook India Magazine". 4 February 2022.
- ↑ "Our Man in New Delhi". Archived from the original on 29 March 2008. Retrieved 28 April 2008. "Our Man in New Delhi" (Frontline)
- ↑ Yadav, Yatish. "Former Spy Reveals Secrets of Research and Analysis Wing". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
- ↑ "Rabinder in US, we want him back: RAW in court - Indian Express". www.indianexpress.com. Archived from the original on 7 March 2008. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
- ↑ http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/ca9/newopinions.nsf/1979AF53DE5277E988256F7200806B72/$file/0371868.pdf?openelement Template:Bare URL PDF
- ↑ "I worked for RAW, was told to kill a Sikh leader: Asylum plea in US court - Indian Express". archive.indianexpress.com. Retrieved 5 April 2016.