‘Master spy’ cremated after admn assures benefits to kin

BATALA: Karamat Rahi (73) — who had earned the sobriquet of being a ‘master spy’ for the manner in which he used to befuddle his Pakistani counterparts — was cremated at his native village Khera Kalan late yesterday, but not before his kin extracted a written promise from the administration of getting monetary compensation and a job for his son.

Karamat Rahi

Ravi Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Batala, August 12

Karamat Rahi (73) — who had earned the sobriquet of being a ‘master spy’ for the manner in which he used to befuddle his Pakistani counterparts — was cremated at his native village Khera Kalan late yesterday, but not before his kin extracted a written promise from the administration of getting monetary compensation and a job for his son.

His family’s refusal to cremate the body had officials on the tenterhooks. As things were slowly getting out of hand, Gurdaspur Deputy Commissioner Dr Pardeep Sabharwal constituted a two-member committee, comprising the ADC (general) JS Grewal and Batala SDM Saurabh Arora, to negotiate with the angry kin.

As time slipped away, officials verbally agreed to give his son a job and financial aid. The kin agreed, but asked the officials to give the assurance in writing.

The note promising the benefits was drafted by the ADC and the SDM, following which the last rites were performed.

Karamat Rahi died on Thursday after a prolonged illness at a Amritsar-based government hospital.

He had shot into prominence when he was brought back to India from Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail in 2005 by the then Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh who had gone to Pakistan on a goodwill tour.

Karamat spent his early days in Khera Kalan village which forms part of the poverty stricken rural belt of Gurdaspur district which, over the years, has become the favourite fertile ground for recruitment agencies like RAW, military intelligence and BSF intelligence to pick poor people to undertake espionage activities.

His son Ranjeet Singh told The Tribune that his father was pushed across the border in the autumn of 1986. “Two years later, he was caught by the Pakistani army stealing secrets from a cantonment and subsequently sentenced to 14 years imprisonment.

“Despite serving his term, he was not released following which Capt Amarinder intervened,” he said.

Back home, Karamat moved the High Court seeking pension and a job for his son. But instead of relief, the court fined him for wasting its time. He appealed to the Supreme Court which asked him to provide proof that he was engaged in covert activities in Pakistan.

“When the agencies recruit spies, they sell dreams of prosperity. They promise money and security, all of which are forgotten when a spy is arrested,” said Ranjeet Singh.

Karamat’s wife, Surinder Kaur, said he used to get a monthly allowance of Rs 300 after her husband was nabbed. “But that too stopped after just 10 months,” she said.

Espionage expert

Karamat Rahi (73) was pushed across the border in 1986. Two years later, he was caught by the Pakistani

Army stealing secrets from a cantonment and subsequently sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment. Despite serving his term, he was not released following which Capt Amarinder intervened.