In a curious turn of events, the chief investigator of the Pathankot terror attack, posted with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) was repatriated to Madhya Pradesh, his parent cadre, two months after he was given an extension on the recommendation of the Home Ministry. The Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi overturned it’s earlier order issued in June, granting a one-year extension to the officer.
IPS officer S.K. Singh (1987 batch), who has been posted with the NIA since its inception in 2009, has been repatriated to his parent cadre with immediate effect.
“In supersession of DOPT communication of even number dated 22.06.2016, it is conveyed that the competent authority in the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has not approved the proposal of the Ministry of Home Affairs for extension in Central Deputation tenure of Sanjeev Kumar Singh, IPS(MP:87), IG, NIA beyond 05.07.2016. The Ministry of Home Affairs may relieve Sanjeev Kumar Singh from the post immediately,” the ACC order said.
7-year central deputation
Mr. Singh had completed a seven-year central deputation, the maximum tenure permitted and was due for repatriation in July itself.
The ACC had on June 22 issued an order which said, “|The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the proposal of the Ministry of Home Affairs for extension in Central deputation tenure in respect of S.K Singh for a period of one year beyond 05.07.2016, in relaxation of IPS Tenure Policy.”
When contacted, Mr. Singh refused to comment.
Crucial in Aseemanand arrest
Mr. Singh, who has been associated with the counter-terror investigation agency, had investigated the extreme right-wing terror cases and based on the findings, RSS leader Swami Aseemanand was arrested for his alleged involvement in the 2007 Samjhauta Express blast case and the Malegaon blasts.
He played a key role during the visit of the Pakistani Joint Intelligence Team (JIT) to India to probe the Pathankot terror case.
More recently, he was involved in the interrogation of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Bahadur Ali, who had crossed over from Line of Control (LoC).
A senior government official said: “The ACC overturned it’s own decision purely on the basis of existent rules.”
