<p> <br />Both the officials, whose identities were not revealed, appeared before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Kaveri Baweja, deposing in-camera in a trial which is “extremely” sensitive considering the very nature of the case.<br /><br />RAW joint secretary Rabinder Singh defected to the United States in May 2004 after hoodwinking the organisation’s counter-intelligence division as well as the Intelligence Bureau. His wife Parminder Singh also fled India. The couple were declared proclaimed offenders by the trial court in January this year after the CBI informed that it had not been able to execute the non-bailable arrest warants against them.<br /><br />The move to declare Singh as a proclaimed offender was taken after the Interpol rejected issuing a Red Corner Notice against him till all the formalities were completed in India.<br /><br />The court proceedings against Singh and his wife were conducted under Section 299 of the Criminal Procedure Code which deals with recording of evidence in the absence of the accused. Singh's escape from the country in May 2004 had come as an embarrassment to the RAW as he had already been under surveillance of the counter-intelligence wing of the agency after he was allegedly caught on camera in his office while photocopying top-secret documents and other operational details of the agency. <br /><br />Singh was accused of revealing top secret documents and proceeded against under various provisions of the Official Secrets Act and the IPC. The activities of the officer, who was sacked under Article 311 of the Constitution (withdrawal of Presidential pleasure), came under the scanner after his name was allegedly mentioned by a US official during a routine liaison with RAW officers.</p>
<p> <br />Both the officials, whose identities were not revealed, appeared before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Kaveri Baweja, deposing in-camera in a trial which is “extremely” sensitive considering the very nature of the case.<br /><br />RAW joint secretary Rabinder Singh defected to the United States in May 2004 after hoodwinking the organisation’s counter-intelligence division as well as the Intelligence Bureau. His wife Parminder Singh also fled India. The couple were declared proclaimed offenders by the trial court in January this year after the CBI informed that it had not been able to execute the non-bailable arrest warants against them.<br /><br />The move to declare Singh as a proclaimed offender was taken after the Interpol rejected issuing a Red Corner Notice against him till all the formalities were completed in India.<br /><br />The court proceedings against Singh and his wife were conducted under Section 299 of the Criminal Procedure Code which deals with recording of evidence in the absence of the accused. Singh's escape from the country in May 2004 had come as an embarrassment to the RAW as he had already been under surveillance of the counter-intelligence wing of the agency after he was allegedly caught on camera in his office while photocopying top-secret documents and other operational details of the agency. <br /><br />Singh was accused of revealing top secret documents and proceeded against under various provisions of the Official Secrets Act and the IPC. The activities of the officer, who was sacked under Article 311 of the Constitution (withdrawal of Presidential pleasure), came under the scanner after his name was allegedly mentioned by a US official during a routine liaison with RAW officers.</p>
