NIA court rejects interim bail to ex-DySP Devinder Singh in Jammu
Jammu,: In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, a special NIA court has rejected the interim bail application of dismissed police officer Devinder Singh but granted him five-day custody parole on humanitarian grounds to attend the post-death rituals of his father in Srinagar next week.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Singh, who was posted with the anti-hijacking cell of Indian police attached to the Srinagar airport, was arrested in January 2020 on the charge of “ferrying” freedom fighters at a checkpoint in Islamabad district. He was subsequently chargesheeted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and dismissed from service in 2021.
Singh has been lodged in Kot Bhalwal central jail in Jammu since his arrest on January 11, 2020. According to the bail application, Singh’s father Deedar Singh passed away in Srinagar on July 17. The accused sought 20 days’ interim bail to attend the cremation and post-death rituals.
The court was informed that his appeal against the rejection of regular bail is presently pending before the High Court of occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Passing the order on July 21, Special Judge Prem Sagar dismissed Singh’s plea for interim bail but granted him five days’ custody parole on humanitarian grounds. He will be allowed to attend the ‘Akhand Paath’ and other post-cremation rituals at the family residence in Srinagar between July 27 and 30, under police escort.
It is worth mentioning that Singh and his family have rejected the charges against him as “fake and politically motivated,” alleging that he is being victimised for his Sikh background and for raising concerns about the policies of his senior officers in the occupied territory during official meetings. “This case is an attempt to silence me because I spoke the truth and questioned wrong decisions,” Singh was quoted as saying. His family said, “He is being punished not for any crime, but for being a Sikh officer who refused to stay silent. All allegations against him are fabricated.”
