Ex-police officer caught ferrying militants ‘let off’, innocent Kashmiris jailed: Mehbooba

Srinagar: Former chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday alleged that a former police officer, who was caught ferrying militants, was ‘let off’ while innocent Kashmiris rot in jails for years.
“Innocent Kashmiris arrested under anti-terror laws rot in jails for years. For them, the trial becomes the punishment,” Ms Mufti wrote on micro-blogging site twitter. However, she said Government of India (GoI) doesn’t want an enquiry against a cop caught red handed with militants. “Is it because he colluded with the system to orchestrate certain dodgy incidents,” she asked. Ms Mehbooba said Kashmiris are considered guilty until proven innocent. “Whether for government job or even a passport they are subjected to the worst kind of scrutiny. But when a policeman is known to have facilitated militants he is let off the hook. The double standards and dirty games is obvious,” she added.

Former deputy superintendent of J&K Police Davinder Singh was caught while ferrying Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) militants in January 2020 from Kashmir to Jammu. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) named him in a charge sheet along with five others under various sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. Singh was dismissed from service in May.
However, the dismissal order mentioned that under provisions of Article 311 of the Constitution, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha was “satisfied” that it was “not expedient to hold an inquiry” against Singh “in the interest of the security of the state”.
The Article enables the government to dismiss civil service employees without an inquiry if the president or governor deems it necessary for security of the state.