New Delhi, Jan 16
Jammu and Kashmir government order on Thursday said that the sensitive airports of Srinagar and Jammu are to be “immediately” brought under the security cover of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) in view of Singh's arrest.
Union Ministry has asked the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to initiate the process of probing the case of suspended Jammu and Kashmir Police Dy SP Davinder Singh, who was caught in Kashmir while ferrying two militants to Jammu last weekend, officials said on Thursday.
Sources claimed that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Director-General on Wednesday met Union Home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla pertaining to an investigation of a case related to Dy SP's case, who was arrested by Jammu and Kashmir police while he was travelling with two Hizbul terrorists.
The formal notification of handing over the case to the NIA is expected to be issued by the ministry soon, an official privy to the development said.
Necessary formalities are being completed in Jammu as well as in Delhi before the probe agency takes over the case. The NIA has been credited with breaking the nexus between stone-pelters and separatists in Jammu and Kashmir.
Some NIA members, posted in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, were present during the preliminary questioning of Singh and three others — Naveed Babu, a self-styled district commander of banned terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen, his associate Atif Ahmed and a lawyer, Irfan Ahmad Mir, who has been named as an active overground worker for terror groups by police.
The officials said all records would be handed over to the NIA after the case is registered by the agency.
Singh, who was arrested along with the three other suspects on Saturday, had ferried Babu to Jammu last year and facilitated his return to Shopian after “rest and recuperation”. He is believed to have taken Rs 12 lakh for “smuggling” the two militants to Chandigarh and arrange for their accommodation for a couple of months, the officials said.
Mir, who was driving the vehicle when he along with the others were caught by the police from a national highway in Kulgam district, may become a prize catch for the NIA as it is alleged that he was carrying orders from Pakistan. He had visited the neighbouring country five times on an Indian passport.
- ‘Dy SP stripped of police medal'
Srinagar, Jan 16
Taking a U-turn from its earlier posture taken by the JK Police that no Gallantry Award was conferred on the said accused Dy SP, the Jammu and Kashmir government on Wednesday said that Sher-e-Kashmir Police Medal for Gallantry, awarded to Deputy Superintendent of Police, Davinder Singh in 2018 stands forfeited. Singh was stripped of the police medal days after he was arrested with two Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists on January 11.
Singh has been accused of assisting the terrorists and of alleged involvement in the anti-India activities. The withdrawal of the medal was done through an order issued today by the Home Department signed by Shaleen Kabra, IAS, Principal Secretary to government, Home Department. The medal was awarded to Singh on August 14, 2018.
“It is to clarify that DySP Davinder Singh is not awarded any Gallantry or Meritorious Medal by MHA as has been reported by some media outlets/persons. Only a gallantry medal awarded to him during his service is by the erstwhile J&K State on Independence Day 2018,” it had tweeted.
