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The National Investigation Agency (NIA) will soon take over the case of suspended Deputy Superintendent of Jammu and Kashmir Police Davinder Singh, who was caught in south Kashmir while ferrying two terrorists to Jammu last weekend, officials said in New Delhi .
The necessary formalities were being completed in Jammu as well as in the national capital before the probe agency, which has been credited with breaking the nexus between stone-pelters and separatists in Jammu and Kashmir, takes over the case, they added.
Some of the 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 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 the police.
The officials said in Jammu that all records would be handed over to the NIA after the case was registered by the probe agency.
Singh, who was arrested along with the three others recently , had ferried Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Naveed 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, officials said.
Mir, who was driving the vehicle when they 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.
Jammu and Kashmir Police chief Dilbag Singh also said the force has recommended dismissal of Davinder Singh and handing over the case to the NIA.
He said the police has also recommended for taking back the gallantry medal awarded to Singh by the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state on Independence Day in 2018, stressing that the police will act ‘very ruthless’ as it ‘doesn’t believe in sheltering or protecting people who have no loyalty towards the force, nation and their people’.
“The DySP was suspended for his act and his sacking is also recommended and the government will take a call on that. We have already recommended for the transfer of the case to the NIA because some thing of wider level can come out of it with links here and there,” the police chief told reporters in Jammu.
Asked whether the police is going to seize his properties, the DGP said the law will take its own course and whatever is necessary as per law will be done.
“These kind of activities are not going to deter us or make any impact on our morale which rather gets further strengthened. We don’t believe in sheltering or protecting such type of people.
“We are very strict with them and in the past we have also removed people from service. We are very ruthless and we will be very ruthless in this case also,” Dilbag Singh said.
He said the officer was not awarded any gallantry or meritorious medal by the Ministry of Home Affairs but a gallantry medal was awarded to him by the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state on Independence Day in 2018 for his participation in countering a suicide attack by terrorists at district police lines in Pulwama district in 2017.
“We are recommending the government to take back his gallantry medal,” he said, advising media persons to avoid ‘speculative stories’ not based on facts.
On the progress of investigation in the case, Dilbag Singh said what he revealed during interrogation would be shared at the right time.
“He was involved in a criminal act and is being treated like a terrorist,” the DGP said, adding that the allegations about his involvement in Parliament attack as claimed by Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, who was hanged on February 9, 2013, and various other accusations would be looked into.
