Pathankot attack: NIA grills Gurdaspur SP, says he may have leaked information to Pak terrorists

New Delhi: Even as the Gurdaspur SP Salwinder Singh claimed that he was abducted by the terrorists who attacked the Pathankot air base, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said on Tuesday that the officer may have played a crucial role in leaking vital information to Pakistan Army's intelligence wing ISI and the militant organisation Jaish-e-Mohammad.

The NIA today grilled Singh along with his cook Madan Gopal thoroughly and has revealed that the SP's late night visit to 'Pir Baba' Dargah to offer prayers is highly suspicious and thus have been put under scanner, as per CNN-IBN.

The investigating officer further said, “Gurdaspur SP Salwinder Singh may have provided logistical support to the terrorists.”

The NIA, which is probing the Pathankot terror attack case, also revealed that Singh may have been honey-trapped by the ISI.

As per the report, NIA will also be investigating Punjab Police officer's link with ISI and JeM terror group, who claimed to have carried out the attack.

The NIA also questioned Singh’s businessman friend Rajesh Verma at Gurdaspur SP’s official residence here today evening. 

The police superintendent, who was transferred from here last week only, had earlier claimed that he, along with Verma and the cook, were stopped and abducted by 4-5 heavily armed terrorists near Kolia village, 25 km from Pathankot, on the night of December 31.

Under fire and suspicion about the entire incident, Salwinder Singh told the media earlier today: "My information was 100 percent true. There is no doubt about it.
"After untying myself, I went to a nearby village Golpur Simbli and told them who I was. I called up my officers and gave them the information. My information prevented a major incident. They (terrorists) could have done big damage to the public if I had not informed."

The police superintendent`s seniors did not take his version seriously for many hours.

"I informed senior officers immediately. I don`t know why the delay took place," Salwinder Singh said.

The police officer has said his car was stopped around 11.30 p.m. on Thursday (December 31), while the attack began early on Saturday (January 2).
Punjab Police and security agencies did nothing till the terrorists entered the Pathankot Air Force Station (AFS).

"Only I know what happened with me. I have got a new life. The truth has come out. Only I and god know how I returned," Salwinder Singh said.

He claimed that the terrorists came back in his car, which had a blue beacon on top, to find him, where he and his cook had been dumped near a drain in a forest area on Thursday night.

The counter offensive against the terrorists by security forces inside the Pathankot base saw six terrorists being killed. Security forces lost seven personnel.

Earlier, NIA had registered three cases in the probe and a 20 member team has been stationed in Pathankot. NIA DG Sharad Kumar will also visit Pathankot tomorrow to monitor the probe.