SRINAGAR: A CRPF jawan from Jammu and Kashmir, Munir Ahmed, who was dismissed from service for marrying a Pakistani woman, has moved the Jammu and Kashmir High Court to challenge his termination.
Ahmed, through his counsel Ankur Sharma, a BJP leader, filed a petition in the Jammu wing of the High Court contesting his sacking. Justice Javed Iqbal Wani has issued notices to the respondents – Director General CRPF, and Commandants of the CRPF’s 41 Battalion at Bangrasia, Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), and 72 Battalion at Sodra, Sunderbani in J&K’s Rajouri district.
The court has directed the respondents to file their objections on or before the next date of hearing, which has been scheduled for June 30.
Munir Ahmed, who joined CRPF in 2017 and has served in Chhattisgarh, Bihar, J&K and Madhya Pradesh, was dismissed from service on May 2 for marrying a Pakistani woman, Menal Khan, who is also his cousin.
Ahmed maintains that he had informed the CRPF headquarters about his intention to marry a Pakistani national. “My marriage with Pakistani national Menal Khan, who is also my cousin, was decided by our elders during my childhood. In 2022, I informed the CRPF officials of my intent to marry a Pakistani national (Menal Khan) and sought permission for marriage. Responding to a letter dated 24/01/2023 by CRPF in which some queries were raised, I submitted required documents on 18/10/2023. Again, on 05/11/2023, I sought clearance/NOC for marriage with Menal,” Munir told The New Indian Express.
He said that on 30/04/2024, the office of the Director General CRPF, New Delhi, informed him that issuing a NOC is not required, as those intending to marry a person other than an Indian national only need to intimate the authorities.
He claimed that he had completed the necessary formalities by informing the government about his marriage to a foreign national, in accordance with the rules.
Munir said his marriage (nikkah) with Menal Khan took place on 24/05/2024 in online mode through a video call. “After my nikkah, I submitted marriage pictures, nikkah papers and marriage certificate to the 72 Battalion headquarters in Bhopal, MP, where I was posted,” he said.
Menal Khan arrived in India on a 15-day visit visa on 28 February. “We applied for a Long-Term Visa (LTV) on 4 March and all necessary formalities including the interview were completed. The mandatory 21-day period after which it is deemed to have been granted has already passed,” Munir said, adding that they were waiting for the LTV when the Pahalgam terror attack took place.
Following the 22 April terror attack in Pahalgam in which 25 tourists and a local resident were killed, India suspended visas for all Pakistani nationals in the country and downsized diplomatic ties with Pakistan.
As Menal was among the Pakistani nationals due for deportation, Munir approached the J&K High Court, which on 29 April stayed her deportation until 14 May, when the next hearing was scheduled. Following the court order, Menal was brought back from the Attari border to Munir’s residence in J&K.