India’s request for an Interpol Red Corner notice to be issued against absconding Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) official Rabindra Singh is set to hit a roadblock after the intelligence agency refused to entertain clarifications sought by the world police organisation.

After obtaining a non-bailable arrest warrant in February against Singh, a RAW Joint Secretary who defected to the US in 2004, the agency approached the CBI to make a case against the official with Interpol and to secure a Red Corner notice. The CBI sent the non-bailable warrant issued against Singh to Interpol’s headquarters in Lyons, France, in March. Interpol then sent several questionnaires to the CBI.

These questionnaires raised several issues, including why a non-bailable warrant was issued nearly two-and-half years after Singh fled the country despite facing serious charges like spying. They also sought information on the sensitive department handled by Singh and the national secrets allegedly leaked by him, official sources said.

The CBI, the nodal agency in the matter, approached the RAW headquarters for clarifications. It was surprised to find that the RAW did not want to disclose anything and was pressing the CBI to try and secure a Red Corner notice only on the basis of documents available with the court of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, the sources said.

Since such replies could not be forwarded to Interpol, the CBI now believes there is little or no chance of a Red Corner notice being issued against Singh, who is believed to be living at Jackson Heights in New York in the US, the sources said.