A Himachal-cadre Indian Police Service (IPS) officer who was on deputation to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) until earlier this year could now be under the scanner of the counter-terrorist task force. Sources have told News18 that the officer has been asked to clarify some claims made by an accused in the Khurram Parvez case. “Verification of certain facts revealed from the arrested accused are being done from him,” an NIA spokesperson said when asked about the former agency officer’s role in the case. The NIA refused to confirm or deny the specific query if the officer has been asked to join the investigation.
The former NIA officer’s premises in Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh, was one of the three locations raided by the agency on Monday. The other two were Sonwar and Amirakadal in Srinagar: the residence and office of Khurram Parvez.
The former NIA officer was part of the probe team that had carried out searches at Khurram Parvez’s residence in October 2020 as part of the NGO terror-funding case. No arrests were made then. NIA officials said that the new case against Khurram Parvez registered on November 6 is not connected to the case of 2020. “He has been found to be in touch with OGWs (overground workers) of a Pakistan-based banned organisation,” the NIA said when asked about the arrest of Khurram Parvez.
Officials said searches were carried out after intelligence about Parvez’s role in helping Lashkar-e-Taiba OGWs. The human rights activist stands accused of terror funding and providing logistical help to the LeT.
Two people have been arrested in this case: Khurram Parvez and Muneer Chowdhary. Officials said phones and electronic devices seized during searches in both Kashmir and Himachal have been sent for forensic tests.
The former NIA officer in question is a decorated policeman who was awarded the police medal for meritorious service for the investigation into various Kashmir-related cases during his stint at the central agency.
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