MEHBOOBA SLAMS CENTRE OVER EX-COP DAVINDER SINGH CASE
SRINAGAR: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Monday alleged that former Jammu and Kashmir police officer Davinder Singh, who was caught ferrying militants in a vehicle last year, was let off the hook by the Centre while innocent Kashmiris rot in jails for years under anti-terror laws. Accusing the government of having double standards, Mehbooba said Kashmiris are “considered guilty until proven innocent”. Mehbooba’s remarks came after a copy of a government order dated May 20 dismissing Singh, a DSP, from service went viral on social media.
Lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha had ordered Singh’s dismissal from service with “immediate effect” under Article 311 of the Constitution, according to the official order. This provision enables the government to withdraw presidential pleasure without holding an inquiry and the decision can only be contested in the high court.
“Innocent Kashmiris arrested under anti-terror laws rot in jails for years. For them the trial becomes the punishment. But Government of India doesn’t want an enquiry against a cop caught redhanded with terrorists. Is it because he colluded with the system to orchestrate certain dodgy incidents?,” Mehbooba tweeted. Singh was arrested in January last year when he was ferrying Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists to Jammu from Kashmir. The case was investigated by the NIA and it filed a charge sheet against Singh and others.