Kashmir Deputy Superintendent of Police(DSP)?Davinder Singh was arrested with two wanted Hizbul Mujahideenterrorists, after the?Jammu and Kashmir Police intercepted an i-10 car inKulgam area, where the cops had laid a nakka.
In a prudentlyplanned operation, the car was caught by DIG Atul Goel, an officer who spentyears in National Investigation Agency (NIA), before returning to his JKPcadre.
Decoratedofficer Davinder Singh was posted in the anti-hijacking unit of Srinagarairport before his arrest.
Fifty-seven-year-oldDavinder Singh had been on the police's radar for several weeks. Details haveemerged that he had sheltered three terrorists, arrested along with him, at hisresidenceright next to the Army's XV corps headquarters at Badami Baghcantonment, officials said.
Singh, whowas decorated with President Police Medal about four months ago, continued tobe grilled by a team of police and intelligence investigators. His office atSrinagar airport, where he was posted as deputy superintendent of police in theanti-hijacking squad, was sealed, officials said as quoted by newsagency PTI.
Piecingtogether the chain of events, the officials said the two terrorists --self-styled district commander of banned Hizbul Mujahideen, Naveed Baba, andAltaf -- were taken to the officer's home on Friday by a lawyer Irfan, who thepolice said was an overground worker for terror groups.
Singhreported absent from duty on Saturday, the day he was apprehended by a team ofpolicemen along with the other three at Mir Bazar on the national highway. TheDySP had applied for leave from Sunday till Thursday, they said.
Police hadcarried out searches at his residence and seized two pistols and an AKrifle beside a large quantity of ammunition.
Officialssaid that Singh, whose name had been cleared for promotion as superintendent ofpolice, is also likely to lose the gallantry medal that was awarded to him lastyear, the officials said.
A report byIndia Today says Singh would have received a sum of Rs 12 lakh?for thejob. When caught, he seemed to be quite comfortable in the company of Naveed,branded as a cop killer.
Caught onthe wrong side of the law, all excuses by Singh failed to enthuse policeofficers who effected his arrest and carried out a search at his residence inSrinagar where he had kept Naveed and his associate Altaf, a recent joinee inthe banned terror outfit, the officials said.
Initially,he repeatedly claimed that he was trying to win the confidence of theterrorists to catch a 'bigger fish' but could not substantiate the reasons fornot following due protocol.
Singh'sarrest may have affected the image of Jammu and Kashmir Police but formerdirector general of police Kuldeep Khoda lauded the police force for nothesitating even once in arresting their senior officer.
"It isthe JKP which has caught its own officer. They laid the trap as they do forother terrorists and managed to arrest the DySp. No one can cast any doubt onthe police force which has been rendering service to the nation especiallyduring the last 30 years of militancy in the valley," Khoda told PTI.