CRPF dismisses jawan who married Pak woman without intimation

The jawan was last posted with the 41st battalion of paramilitary CRPF, the lead internal security force of the country

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has dismissed from service its jawan, Munir Ahmed, for "concealing" his marriage with a Pakistani woman and knowingly harbouring her beyond the validity of her visa, saying his actions were detrimental to national security, officials informed on Saturday.

The jawan was last posted with the 41st battalion of the CRPF, the lead internal security force of the country.

His action has been categorised as "grave misconduct" and he has been "dismissed from service" under the rules that do not require conducting an enquiry, official sources told PTI.

"Munir 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," CRPF spokesperson Deputy Inspector General (DIG) M Dhinakaran said.

Ahmed's marriage with Menal Khan came to light after India asked Pakistani nationals to leave the country as part of the diplomatic measures taken in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed.

Khan's deportation, however, was stayed by a court a few days ago.

The two got married over a video call on May 24 last year and Ahmed intimated his organisation about the said "nikah" on October 14, 2024.

A CRPF probe found that the jawan had "not intimated" the authorities formally prior to his wedding as was required. Also, he did not inform about his wife's "overstaying" on an expired visa in India to the authorities concerned.

Khan entered India through the Wagah-Attari border on February 28 and her short-term visa ended on March 22. Till that time, she stayed at Ahmed's home in Jammu, the officials said.

The CRPF said she overstayed on an expired visa and Ahmed "continued to provide shelter to her and harboured a Pakistani national, compromising with the security of the State".

The CRPF authority "dismissed" the jawan with immediate effect on Friday without conducting a formal enquiry, a provision available under Article 311(2)(b) of the Constitution, read with the relevant CRPF rules, the officials said.