Davinder Singh, the suspended deputy superintendent of police who was arrested in Jammu and Kashmir with two terrorists in a car earlier this year, has been granted bail in another terror case as the Delhi police failed to file the charge sheet within three months of his arrest, as prescribed under law.
The suspended officer, however, will not walk free as he has not got bail in the case filed by the National Investigation Agency following his arrest with the terrorists on Jammu-Srinagar highway in January.
Another accused in the case – Irfan Shafi Mir – has also been granted bail in the case.
Davinder Singh was arrested and brought to Delhi from Jammu and Kashmir in a separate case related to the alleged planning of terror attacks in Delhi and other parts of the country.
In the bail applications filed on behalf of the accused, their lawyer MS Khan had said that neither the police filed charge sheet within the statutory period of 90 days, nor any permission was sought from the court to extend that period.
“Considering the fact that despite the lapse of statutory time limit to complete investigation, charge sheet in the instant matter is not filed till date, both the accused persons are entitled to be released on bail,” the judge was quoted as saying by news agency PTI as saying.
In January, Davinder Singh was allegedly transporting hardcore terrorists out of Kashmir when he was caught on the Jammu-Srinagar highway. Investigations revealed that the terrorists captured with the officer had stayed at his heavily-guarded home in Srinagar’s Badami Bagh cantonment.
He was later suspended and stripped of his medals.
Last month, a Jammu and Kashmir politician was arrested by the NIA (National Investigation Agency) over alleged links to terrorist group Hizbul Mujahideen; he had been accused of supplying arms. The arrest was made as part of an investigation into Davinder Singh’s alleged role in terrorism.
The NIA, meanwhile, has said it has enough evidence against the tainted officer and a charge sheet will be filed against him soon. “We have adequate evidence against him and he will be charge-sheeted in due course,” it said in a statement.
