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Once on the other side of the table and dictating the line of questioning, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Davinder Singh has now made national headlines after being arrested on Saturday, 11 January, while allegedly ferrying two wanted terrorists to Jammu – the banned Hizbul Mujaideen Naveed Baba who was its district commander and Altaf, who was working as overground worker for terror outfits besides being an unidentified lawyer.
Once a decorated officer and next in line for the post of Superintendent of Police, Singh will now be treated at par with terrorists, said J&K IGP Vijay Kumar.
From providing a safe haven to terrorists at his own residence to allegedly accepting a sum of Rs 12 lakhs, Singh’s latest arrest and interrogation has raised questions on J&K security forces, forcing spotlight on the integrity of the forces.
Here are a few key highlights related to Davinder Singh’s arrest in J&K on 11 January.
1. Militants Escaped from Shopian Following Singh’s Arrest
IGP Vijay Kumar told the media that after the news spread about their detention on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway in south Kashmir on Saturday, some militants escaped from a hideout in Shopian.
“When this news spread yesterday, some militants escaped from a hideout in Shopian which was eight feet under the ground. It had food items among other things stored there,” he said.
2. Ammunition Recovered from Singh’s Residence
According to PTI, the police searched his residence twice and seized two pistols and an AK rifle beside a large quantity of ammunition.
3. Militants Stayed Overnight at Singh’s Residence: News Report
Before leaving for Jammu, Hizbul Mujahideen (Hizb) militants stayed overnight at Singh’s residence in the Indira Nagar locality, The Tribune reported.
According to the report, Singh brought Hizb commander Naveed Babu and his two accomplices – Rafi Rather and Mir Irfan – from Shopian to Srinagar on Friday evening, before they were caught on Saturday.
4. Singh Allegedly Accepted a Sum of Rs 12 Lakh to Get Terrorists a Safe Passage
India Today, quoting sources, reported that a sum of Rs 12 lakh may have been given to Davinder Singh for the job. A senior officer told PTI that Singh was likely ferrying a lawyer and two terrorists who were being allegedly taken out of Kashmir valley for a possible terror strike.
5. Past Controversies
A part of several controversies in the past, officials told India Today that Singh got away each time one way or the other. There were allegations of extortion as well.
Early in his career, he was also accused of having sold illegal “contraband”, a form of charas from a drug peddler after nabbing him.
“It is Davinder Singh's track record in counter-terror operation, which got him immunity. Several inquiries followed no action,” an official told India Today.
He also once carjacked a truck full of timber and the truck was owned by a relative of former Chief Minister Ghulam Mohideen Shah. However, he made national headlines after Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru named him in one of his letters.
6. Singh’s Links With Afzal Guru
In a letter written in 2013, Afzal Guru had named Singh for having a role in the Parliament attack. The angle was probed but could not be substantiated with any evidence.
According to India Today, Guru alleged in the letter that Davinder Singh had tasked him with taking a terrorist to Delhi and arranging for his accommodation there. The Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist Afzal Guru had to accommodate the one who was killed during the attack on Parliament.
However, lack of evidence against Singh reportedly turned the tide in his favour. In an interview to journalist Parvaiz Bukhari in 2006, Singh admitted to the torture allegations but not the rest of the claims. It was later published in the book The Hanging of Afzal Guru and the Strange Case of the Attack on the Indian Parliament.
7. Singh Was Building a House Next to Srinagar Army Base, Says Report
According to India Today, Singh was building a house next to an army base in Srinagar. The house under construction in Srinagar’s Indira Nagar, which is considered to be the most secure zone in the capital, shared a wall with the headquarters of the 15 Corps, according to the report.
8. Davinder Singh Suspended
Senior Jammu and Kashmir police officer Davinder Singh was suspended on Monday even as it emerged that he had sheltered three terrorists, arrested along with him, at his residence right next to the Army's XV corps headquarters at Badami Bagh cantonment, officials said.
The DSP is deemed to have been suspended after having completed 48 hours in police custody, they said quoting service rules.
9. Major Agencies Involved in Singh’s Interrogation
The joint interrogation on Singh is being done by all agencies, security forces, police, IB, RAW, CID, the police told the media, calling the matter “sensitive” and to ensure no loopholes are left.
10. Congress Raises Questions Over Singh’s Involvement
The Congress raised questions on Monday over the role of Davinder Singh, a senior Jammu and Kashmir police officer arrested for ferrying terrorists in the Parliament and Pulwama attacks and asked if he was "only a pawn" in a "bigger conspiracy".
"Who is Davinder Singh? What's his role in 2001 Parliament Attack? What's his role in Pulwama Attack, where he was Dy SP DR? (sic)," Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said in a tweet.
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