The Beijing station chief of RAW, the country’s premier external intelligence agency, has been summarily dismissed on grounds of alleged “operational impropriety”. Amreet Ahluwalia, a joint secretary-level officer, was recently called to Delhi for routine consultations 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.