New Delhi A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) constable was on Saturday dismissed from service with immediate effect for “concealing” his marriage to a Pakistani national and “helping her stay in India beyond the validity of her visa”, officials familiar with the matter said.
The constable, identified as Muneer Ahmed from Jammu, had sought permission from the CRPF in 2023 to marry Menal Khan from Sialkot in Pakistan. However, before the department decided on his request, Ahmed married Khan on May 24, 2024, through video conferencing.
Ahmed’s wife, who had arrived in India on a tourist visa on February 28, was set to be deported after India revoked visas issued to Pakistani citizens in the backdrop of the terror attack in Pahalgam. However, the Jammu & Kashmir high court on May 1 stayed her deportation as she had applied for a long-term visa.
Ahmed, who was earlier posted in the sensitive J&K zone, was transferred to Bhopal earlier this week, after reports of his wedding to Khan came to light.
Taking note of the matter, the CRPF dismissed him from service in an order on Saturday.
The order, seen by HT, said that Ahmed had not informed the department of his marriage forthwith, which is a violation of Rule 21(3) of CCS(Conduct) Rules – 1964. He was later “informed of his nikah by sending an application on October 14, 2024”, it added.
“Being a member of the force, he harboured a Pakistan national in India, who was on a short term visa and also married her, which was not intimated to the concerned authorities, which is amounting to grave misconduct. Since security of the nation has been compromised and there is a further threat to national security by harbouring a foreign national,” the order said, adding that “in the interest of the security of the country, it is not expedient to hold an enquiry”.
Khan’ lawyer, Ankur Sharma, said, “The dismissal order has come as a surprise. A CRPF letter dated April 30, 2024, issued by the headquarters related to his case is clear on the permission aspect. The letter says he was only required to inform the department about his wedding. The short-term visa was issued by the government on the ground that she happened to be Ahmed’s legally wedded wife. It is just that she was yet to receive her long-term visa for which she had already applied. Meanwhile, the attack in Pahalgam happened and all Pakistan nationals were told to leave the country.”
A senior officer aware of the matter said: “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. His actions were found to be in violation of service conduct and detrimental to national security.”
Documents of the couple’s marriage, seen by HT, showed that the online nikah was solemnised in the presence of maulvis and signed in India by nine witnesses. It was registered in Pakistan on October 24, 2024.