Josy Joseph

New Delhi: External intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) has recalled the head of its Colombo operations after he ran foul of his landlord, the powerful Sri Lankan foreign minister Rohitha Bogollagama.

RAW sources say that the feud with his powerful landlord and his indiscreet partying in the Sri Lankan capital may have all resulted in Ravi Nair being recalled a few weeks ago to New Delhi.

However, there was no confirmation if the RAW had evidence of spying against Nair, as was being claimed by some sections.

A standoff between Nair and his landlord, who happened to be the Sri Lankan foreign minister, had led to an awkward situation with the minister putting pressure through diplomatic channels for Nair’s recall. Though it was unofficial, sources said Bogollagama’s pressure had significantly contributed to the recall of Nair, a Research and Analysis Service officer.

A senior official in the Sri Lankan high commission in New Delhi told DNA that they “had no such reports” of their foreign minister’s unhappiness with the officer.

Dependable sources say that Nair had gotten into a dispute with the foreign minister over some repairs that he carried out in Bogollagama’s house where the RAW official had been staying.

Nair has told his colleagues that landlord Bogollagama had promised to pay him the cost of repairs, running into over a lakh of rupees, but the minister did not keep his word once the work got over. Whatever may be the finer nuances of the dispute, it was clear that the minister was clearly upset with the RAW representative in Colombo, sources here say.

This is the second instance of a senior Indian official running foul with the powers that be in Colombo. The last Indian high commissioner Nirupama Rao had to be recalled before she completed her tenure after several allegations were leveled against the IFS officer by local political powers. India appointed her the ambassador to China, and insisted the recall had nothing to do with the allegations.

Though not known for his competence, Nair was one of the youngest RAS officers to reach the rank of a joint director, and by his sheer seniority would have been in the running to be the RAW chief in a few years time.

Sources in Colombo and the RAW insist that there is no credence to the theory that Nair was involved in Chinese spying with a Chinese woman.

Sources say, however, there have been reports in recent times about Nair being seen partying with women in Colombo. But the reports about a “Chinese connection” of his woman friend don’t seem correct, according to information available here. Nair is the son of a former army general.

Sources say what may have further weakened Nair’s position and resulted in the humiliating pull out of him from Sri Lanka was the heightening feud between the IPS lobby in the RAW and the RAS officers.

RAS officials are not particularly pleased with the way Nair’s recall has been handled, and they believe there has been a deliberate effort to tarnish the image of the senior official.