NIA to take over probe, books DSP Davinder Singh under UAPA

New Delhi, January 18: While the country took a step forward on countering terrorism and attaining zero tolerance on terrorism, seldom did they know they were surrounded by a traitor. The Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP) Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Davinder Singh called for was arrested on the Srinagar-Jammu Highway while ferrying two Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) terrorists to Jammu. Taking action against him, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday took over the probe into this case.

 

The NIA has booked the officer, now suspended from service, under sections 18, 19, 20, 38 and 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). An NIA team is also likely to visit Srinagar on Monday and seize all the weapons recovered from the DSP’s car and residence. The DSP, too, may be brought to the national capital for questioning.

DSP Singh has already allegedly admitted to have been paid Rs 12 lakh to ferry the terrorists, one of whom, Naveed Babu, a cop-turned-terrorist, was involved in the killings of non-local workers last October in south Kashmir, which were carried out to drive non-locals out of Kashmir and target the apple industry after the scrapping of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status by the Centre on August 5.

A decorated officer whose gallantry awards have now been withdrawn, the DSP was the chief of the anti-hijacking unit at the sensitive Srinagar Airport.