Nothing incriminatory found against SP Salwinder: NIA

Ravi Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Gurdaspur, January 23

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has found nothing incriminatory against Punjab Police senior officer Salwinder Singh, who was being probed by the NIA in connection with the Pathankot terror attack, after lie-detector and other tests found nothing adverse against him.

SP Salwinder Singh, who was being rigorously examined by the agency at its headquarters for the past 15 days, underwent a series of scientific tests, official sources said.

Salwinder Singh, who had claimed that he and two of his acquaintances were kidnapped by a group of ultras on the intervening night of December 31 and January 1, was under NIA scanner following suspicion that he was part of the drug racket being run in the bordering districts of Pathankot and Gurudaspur.

However, searches at various places, including his office, residence and native place in Amritsar, did not result in the recovery of incriminating documents, they said.

"Documents linking him to drug or gold smuggling or the terror attack were also not found. Even his polygraph test failed to reveal anything shady," confirmed an officer.

The officer was working as SP (Headquarters), Gurdaspur, before he was shifted as Assistant Commandant, 75th Battalion, PAP, Jalandhar.

Salwinder had all along been claiming that he was innocent, but sources reveal that the NIA did not want to take any chance, keeping in view the gravity and sensitivity of the situation.

A police officer claimed that although the NIA might have let him off the hook, the Punjab Police would take disciplinary action against him.

Salwinder was transferred from Gurdaspur after an IG officer found strong evidence of wrongdoings against him following a departmental inquiry.