The Special Court for National Investigation Agency (NIA) Cases, Jammu, has rejected the 20-day interim bail plea of former Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) of Jammu and Kashmir Police Davinder Singh, accused in a high-profile case relating to terror activities.
Special Judge NIA Court, Prem Sagar, however, granted him five days of custody parole on humanitarian grounds, allowing him to attend the religious rituals for his late father.
The court clarified that this relief was granted solely on humanitarian grounds. Davinder Singh's regular bail had already been rejected by the same court, and an appeal against that order is pending before the Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh High Court. Therefore, there was no justification for granting interim bail.
Davinder Singh stated in his petition that his father, Didar Singh, passed away on July 17, 2026. The family is organising an Akhand Path and other religious rituals in Imran Gali, Mahjoor Nagar, Srinagar, from July 27 to 30. He applied for 20 days of interim bail to attend the funeral and religious rituals.
During the hearing, the NIA strongly opposed the interim bail plea. The agency told the court that Davinder Singh faces serious charges related to national security under Sections 120-B, 121, 121-A, and 122 of the Indian Penal Code, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Arms Act, and various sections of the Explosive Substances Act.
The NIA also stated that the statutory bar on bail under Section 43D(5) of the UAPA applies, and that the testimony of several key prosecution witnesses in the case is still pending. Being a former DySP, the possibility of his influencing witnesses or interfering with a fair trial cannot be ruled out.
After verification from the local police, the NIA admitted that the accused's father had passed away. The NIA told the court that if any relief were to be granted, it should be granted in the form of custody parole under police protection rather than interim bail, and that it had no objection to this.
After hearing arguments from both parties, the special court rejected the plea for interim bail and ordered that Davinder Singh be transported to Srinagar by road or rail under tight police security from July 25 to July 30. He would be allowed to stay at his father's residence and the religious gathering venues between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily from July 26 to 30. During the remaining hours, he would be kept in safe custody at the nearest police station.
The court directed the deployment of adequate police force and ordered that he be brought back to Central Jail, Kot Bhalwal, Jammu, by the evening of July 31. The court also directed that a copy of the order be sent to the Superintendent of Central Jail, Kot Bhalwal, for compliance.
DySP was arrested in January 2020 near Qazigund on Jammu–Srinagar National Highway
The then-DySP Davinder Singh, posted in the anti-hijacking wing of the Jammu and Kashmir Police at Srinagar Airport, was arrested along with dreaded Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Naveed Babu, alias Babar Azam, a resident of Nazneenpora in South Kashmir's Shopian district, and his associate Asif Ahmad, on January 11, 2020.
He had reportedly taken Rs 12 lakh for ferrying the two to Chandigarh and arranging their accommodation for a couple of months to help them evade the police.
Investigations subsequently revealed that Singh had been driving and escorting the Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists to Jammu for their stay during the winter of 2020. It also emerged that Singh had arranged safe stays in Jammu for the same terror cadres the previous year as well.
NIA investigating the high-profile case
After Davinder Singh's arrest, the case was handed over to the NIA for further investigation on January 18, 2020. The NIA carried out a series of raids across different parts of Kashmir, particularly in Srinagar and South Kashmir, and questioned more than two dozen people.
The NIA team also raided Singh's house in Srinagar and his ancestral home in Tral, seizing several sensitive documents.
Terminated from service in May 2021
Arrested on charges of ferrying dreaded terrorists of the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit, the DySP had already been placed under suspension following his arrest in January 2020. A chargesheet against the suspended DySP has since been filed by the NIA for providing support to the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit.
Although higher-ups in the Jammu and Kashmir Police had already recommended his dismissal from service, a formal order was issued by the J&K government only on May 20, 2021.
