Pathankot probe: Court permits NIA to conduct lie-detector test on SP

New Delhi, January 18

A Delhi court on Monday granted NIA the permission to conduct a lie-detector test on Punjab police officer Salwinder Singh in connection with Pathankot terror attack case.

The NIA team along with Salwinder came to the court of District Judge Amarnath and moved an application seeking court's permission to conduct the lie-detector test on him.

According to court sources, during in-chamber proceedings, the NIA told the judge that there were "inconsistencies" in the statements of Salwinder during questioning so they may be permitted to conduct the test on him.

The sources said that Salwinder has given his consent to undergo the test before the judge.

The court, while allowing NIA's application, directed the agency to get the lie-detector test within three days.

Salwinder Singh, a Punjab SP, who was allegedly abducted by terrorists involved in the Pathankot attack, had appeared before the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for questioning in connection with the terror strike.

The NIA had issued summons to Salwinder Singh, who is at present the Assistant Commandant of 75th battalion of the Punjab Armed Police, to appear before the agency for thorough questioning as there were some discrepancies in his statement to the NIA and the Punjab Police.

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The NIA would also conduct the test to ascertain his statements made earlier during his questioning by the agency team over his abduction by the terrorists, who attacked the air base. Singh was on the agency's radar since the day it took over the Pathankot terror attack probe from the Punjab Police.

Singh, along with his jeweller friend Rajesh Verma and cook Madan Gopal, were allegedly kidnapped by terrorists on the intervening night of December 31 and January one before they entered the IAF base in Pathankot and carried out a terror strike on the following intervening night in which seven security personnel, including a Lt Colonel of NSG, were killed.

The NIA has registered three cases in connection with the terror strike at Pathankot IAF base.

The first case pertains to Salwinder Singh's abduction and the second for the killing of the taxi driver. Both the cases were registered at Narot Jaimal Singh Police Station in Pathankot district.

The third and the main case, registered at Police Station Division No. 2, Pathankot, relates to the terrorist attack on the Air Force Station.— Agencies