Canada issues visa to former IB officer

NEW DELHI: The Canadian high commission has finally issued visa to a former Intelligence Bureau officer after its denial to grant him the travel document evoked an outrage in India.
Former IB deputy director S S Sidhu, whose visa application was turned down by the high commission on March 26, has now got a multiple visa for three days to visit the country.
"I was refused visa on March 26 this year and was totally demoralised because I wanted to meet my son and see his new house in Toronto...then I again pursued my case with Canadian high commission and this time they have issued visa in three days. It is multiple visa for three days," Sidhu said.
The officer was earlier denied visa by the high commission on the ground that he had served in an organisation like IB and that led to apprehension that he could "engage in an act of espionage or subversion", or "violence that would or might endanger the lives or safety of persons in Canada."
The incident prompted the home ministry to strongly oppose the act of Canadian authorities. "The allegations which they levelled on my organisation ... that my organisation... IB it is engaging in terrorism, espionage, subversion, sabotage. These are all false allegations," Sidhu said.