Sarabjit Singh was a RAW agent: Indian report
Sources tell Indian newspaper that Singh had gone to Pakistan for an operation.
Indian activists pose with pictures of late Sarabjit Singh as they pay tribute to him in Kolkata on May 2, 2013. PHOTO: AFP
Indian spy Sarabjit Singh had gone to Pakistan for an operation managed by a senior Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) official and later became the external intelligence agency's chief, Hindustan Times (HT) reported.
The HT report quoted an intelligence source as saying that "Singh was an Indian spy in Pakistan. He managed to accomplish the task given to him but was caught while trying to flee."
The source refused to elaborate more on the operation taken up by the spy, the report stated.
Singh, who was sentenced 16 years ago over deadly bombings, recently died in Lahore after he was beaten by his jail inmates.
The HT report further mentioned a former intelligence official, who dealt with Singh's case, as saying that “the operation executed by Singh didn't serve any tactical purpose but still the agency had executed many such missions in Pakistan in the early and mid 90s.”
"Some of the operations executed by the RAW during the period were totally mindless. Spies like Singh and their family have paid huge cost for it. Sometimes, the agency officials executed operations out of personal bravado that they can get 'something' done in Pakistan," said the official.
Speaking about the state policy to reward spies and their families who are caught in the enemy land, the sources said that the agency is yet to evolve a rule.
"Payments vary case to case depending on the nature of operation. There is no uniformity in discreet payments to families when such agents are caught or eliminated by the enemy," said a source.
"Singh had been awarded a state funeral because his case was mainly highlighted due to efforts of his politically astute sister Dalbir Kaur. His family is also being compensated, But there are many cases in which the spies came back from Pakistan knocked the doors of courts to get their dues," the source added.
The HT report quoted an intelligence source as saying that "Singh was an Indian spy in Pakistan. He managed to accomplish the task given to him but was caught while trying to flee."
The source refused to elaborate more on the operation taken up by the spy, the report stated.
Singh, who was sentenced 16 years ago over deadly bombings, recently died in Lahore after he was beaten by his jail inmates.
The HT report further mentioned a former intelligence official, who dealt with Singh's case, as saying that “the operation executed by Singh didn't serve any tactical purpose but still the agency had executed many such missions in Pakistan in the early and mid 90s.”
"Some of the operations executed by the RAW during the period were totally mindless. Spies like Singh and their family have paid huge cost for it. Sometimes, the agency officials executed operations out of personal bravado that they can get 'something' done in Pakistan," said the official.
Speaking about the state policy to reward spies and their families who are caught in the enemy land, the sources said that the agency is yet to evolve a rule.
"Payments vary case to case depending on the nature of operation. There is no uniformity in discreet payments to families when such agents are caught or eliminated by the enemy," said a source.
"Singh had been awarded a state funeral because his case was mainly highlighted due to efforts of his politically astute sister Dalbir Kaur. His family is also being compensated, But there are many cases in which the spies came back from Pakistan knocked the doors of courts to get their dues," the source added.