The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on Saturday sacked a jawan for concealing his marriage to a Pakistani woman, saying that his conduct is detrimental to national security.
“In a matter of serious concern, CT/GD Munir Ahmed of 41 Battalion of CRPF has been dismissed from service with immediate effect for concealing his marriage to a Pakistani national and knowingly harbouring her beyond the validity of her visa,” the CRPF said in a statement.
“His actions were found to be in violation of service conduct and detrimental to national security,” it added.
The CRPF's action came a day after Munir Ahmed was transferred from the sensitive Jammu & Kashmir zone to Bhopal.
Ahmed had sought permission from the CRPF in 2023 to marry Minal Khan, who belongs to Sialkot in Pakistan. However, before the department decided on his request, Ahmed married Khan on May 24, 2024, with the marriage solemnised through video conferencing by clerics in India and Pakistan.
The case came to light earlier this week when Minal Khan was sent back from Jammu for deportation to her country of origin after India revoked visas of Pakistani nationals in light of the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed.
Also Read | Kashmir tightens security, states ask Pakistan nationals to leave in Pahalgam attack aftermath
{{/usCountry}}Also Read | Kashmir tightens security, states ask Pakistan nationals to leave in Pahalgam attack aftermath
{{/usCountry}}She was granted last-minute relief from deportation by the Jammu and Kashmir High Court on April 30. Minal had left Jammu for the Attari border when her lawyer informed her about the court's decision.
“Munir Ahmed, who is a CRPF constable, got married to Pakistani national Minal Khan, 2.5 months ago. She came to India on a visiting visa and then applied for a long-term visa,” advocate Ankush Sharma, representing the CRPF jawan's wife, told ANI news agency.
Sharma added that Minal Khan appeared for an interview for a long-term visa, and positive recommendations were sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs for giving her a long-term visa.
"The Pahalgam attack happened, and she didn't have a long-term visa, so she was sent to Attari border...a case was filed in the J&K High Court, and the hearing took place, the court passed an interim order...after that, she was sent back to Jammu.
Earlier, Minal had urged the Indian government to let families stay together.
"We should be allowed to stay with the family," PTI quoted Minal Khan as saying. “We condemn the barbaric killings of innocents in the attack. They should be punished severely.”