5 cops, teacher sacked for involvement in narco-terror network linked to Pakistan's ISI

J-K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha invoked Article 311(2)(c) of the Constitution to terminate them from service.

Six government officials, including five policemen, were dismissed for their alleged involvement in financing terrorism through drug sales in Jammu and Kashmir.

The network facilitated the flow of narcotics, the profits from which were funnelled into funding terrorist activities. (HT file photo)

The investigation found that these officials were part of a sophisticated narco-terror network orchestrated by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and various terror groups operating from Pakistani soil.

The network facilitated the flow of narcotics, the profits from which were funnelled into funding terrorist activities.

"Six government officials, including five policemen and a teacher, were found involved in terror financing through drug sales," PTI quoted an official as saying.

They have been identified as head constable Farooq Ahmad Sheikh, constable Khalid Hussian Shah, constable Rehmat Shah, constable Irshad Ahmad Chalkoo, constable Saif Din, and government teacher Nazam Din.

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Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha invoked Article 311(2)(c) of the Constitution to immediately terminate their employment. This provision gives the government the power to sack employees without an inquiry if the President or the governor, as the case may be, is satisfied that in the interest of the security of the state, it is not expedient to hold such inquiry.

With this, the administration has dismissed 70 government employees on similar grounds since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.

Last month, four government employees, including two police constables, were sacked for their alleged involvement in narco-terrorism.

The four were identified as police constables Mushtaq Ahmad Pir and Imtiyaz Ahmad Lone, school education department junior assistant Bazil Ahmad Mir and rural development department village-level worker Mohd Zaid Shah.

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The officials, privy to the investigations, said that the four were “acting on behalf of terror outfits” as the law enforcement and intelligence agencies collected “incriminating material evidence” against them.

Heroin and brown sugar, which are not cultivated in Indian territory, are inextricably linked with terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and every gram of it being peddled or consumed in India comes from Pakistan through several networks, reported ANI quoting people aware of the matter.

With Bureau inputs