New Delhi, Aug 6 : Amreet Ahluwalia, a joint secretary-level Beijing station chief of RAW, India's external intelligence agency, has been summarily dismissed on grounds of alleged “operational impropriety”, The Indian Express reported..
Ahluwalia was recently called to Delhi and then swiftly served the dismissal order under relevant sections of Article 311 (2), which allows such action without an inquiry for purposes of national security. He will receive no pension or post-retirement benefits.
The IE report said, the Beijing station chief had developed serious differences with the headquarters over “operational issues” during his posting.
At one stage, the report says, Ahluwalia threatened to send letters to the political leadership as well as the Opposition, listing his objections. He is believed to have shared the drafts of these purported letters with his official hierarchy, leading to further discord.
The last time RAW (Research & Analysis Wing) invoked this article was to dismiss Ravinder Singh, a Joint Secretary-level official who had defected to the United States from the agency. He had been under surveillance for spying for foreign countries.
While unwilling to part with details in Ahluwalia's case, RAW maintained that charges against Ahluwalia were serious and related to “impropriety” in conduct of operations. Sources said the nature of the dismissal itself indicates the seriousness of the charge, the report says. .
The fact that a senior officer like Ahluwalia was considering putting out “operational details” perhaps served as a provocation.
The report quoting insiders says Ahluwalia had similar problems during his earlier assignment in the US, sometime during 2004-07. At that time too, he had run-ins with the agency on certain sensitive issues. However, these were eventually brushed aside as he completed his term.
Given his profile and postings — the US and China being his last two foreign assignments — Ahluwalia was clearly in the top hierarchy of the agency.
After his US posting, he had done a stint in Delhi and was later sent to an important outpost in Jammu and Kashmir upon his promotion as joint secretary. Soon after, he was posted as station chief in Beijing.
