Hours after being dismissed from service over allegations of concealing his marriage to a Pakistani woman, CRPF trooper Munir Ahmed on Saturday claimed that he had tied the knot only after receiving permission from the force’s headquarters. Ahmed, a resident of Gharota in Jammu who joined the CRPF in April 2017, said he would challenge his dismissal in court.
“I am sure of getting justice,” he stated, as per news agency PTI.
The Central Reserve Police Force dismissed Ahmed for allegedly concealing his marriage to Pakistani national Menal Khan and harbouring her beyond the validity of her visa. The force termed his actions as detrimental to national security.
Officials quoted by PTI said that Ahmed was dismissed with immediate effect under Article 311(2)(b) of the Constitution, which allows termination without a formal inquiry, in cases deemed to involve grave misconduct. The CRPF stated that the jawan violated service conduct rules by not informing the authorities before the marriage and by sheltering a Pakistani national whose visa had expired.
CRPF Jawan Informed Of ‘Nikah’ Months After Ceremony, Wife Overstayed Short-Term Visa: Officials
CRPF spokesperson Deputy Inspector General (DIG) M Dhinakaran said, “Ahmed 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.”
According to officials, Ahmed married Menal Khan over a video call on 24 May, 2024, but only informed the force about the ‘Nikah’ on 14 October, 2024. Khan had entered India through the Wagah-Attari border on 28 February on a short-term visa that expired on 22 March. She remained at Ahmed’s residence in Jammu beyond the visa period, which was not reported to the authorities, officials added, as per PTI.
The matter surfaced after India asked Pakistani nationals to leave the country following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.
However, Ahmed has contested the CRPF’s version, asserting that he had obtained clearance from the force before solemnising the marriage. He maintains that he acted in accordance with the rules and plans to seek legal recourse against his dismissal.
