Ex-DSP Davinder Singh: NIA arrests PDP youth wing chief

National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday arrested PDP youth wing president, Waheed ur Rehman Parra, in connection with a terror case.

Parra was being interrogated at the agency’s New Delhi headquarters for the past two days after his name surfaced in connection with the probe into suspended deputy superintendent of police Davinder Singh’s case. He is the first politician to be arrested in this case.

PTI quoted NIA spokesperson as saying, “Today, NIA arrested Waheed Ur Rehman Parra, the youth wing leader of People’s Democratic Party, in connection with the Naveed Babu-Davinder Singh case for supporting Hizbul Mujahideen in conspiracy with the other accused persons.”

Meanwhile, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti termed the arrest as blackmail and said youth president was falsely charged.

“BJP milks illegal scrapping of Article 370 in every nook and corner of the country. But when it comes to Kashmiris questioning its abrogation they are locked up & punished. Everyone knows at whose behest Davinder Singh worked for. Ironic that they have the gall to blame others,” she tweeted.

”Waheed has no connection whatsoever with this man & is being falsely charged. All just to blackmail & intimidate PDP & other mainstream political parties in J&K,” she added.

She went on to say that Parra was illegally arrested in 2019 as well. “Yet his belief in democracy didn’t waver & he chose to contest DDC elections. Seems like those who place their faith in the power of democracy will earn the wrath of a hostile & communal government. I can personally vouch for Waheed’s integrity, honesty & character. Its upto the judiciary now to dispense justice & ensure @parawahid is released at the earliest,” she tweeted.

Parra was set to contest the district development council polls from South Kashmir. He has a strong base among the youth in south Kashmir and was pivotal in organising many public programmes of the party.

Suspended deputy superintendent of police Davinder Singh was arrested in January 11 while allegedly ferrying Hizbul commander Syed Naveed Mushtaq alias Naveed Babu, advocate Mohammad Shafi Mir and another militant, Rafi Ahmad Rather, to Jammu in his car. The case was later handed over to NIA which conducted several raids in different parts of Kashmir.

(With PTI inputs)