NEW DELHI: Munir Ahmed, a jawan of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), has been dismissed from service for allegedly concealing his marriage to a Pakistani woman and allowing her to remain in India after her visa had expired.
According to the CRPF, Ahmed violated service rules and posed a potential threat to national security.
Who is Munir Ahmed?
Ahmed, a resident of Gharota in Jammu, had joined the CRPF in April 2017. He married Menal Khan, a Pakistani national, on 24 May 2023 via a video call.
The case came to light after India ordered all Pakistani citizens to leave the country in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives.
Menal entered India through the Attari-Wagah border on 28 February on a short-term visa that expired on 22 March. When she was sent for deportation, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court intervened on 29 April and granted her a 10-day stay.
The CRPF maintains that Ahmed did not inform his superiors about the marriage or his wife’s overstay, as required under service rules. However, Ahmed refutes these claims. He says he informed the force in December 2022 of his intention to marry a Pakistani national and received formal approval from CRPF headquarters on 30 April 2023, nearly a month before the marriage.
He also states that he submitted all necessary documents, including the marriage certificate, photographs, and affidavits from family members. In March, after his wife’s arrival, he applied for a long-term visa for her and recorded the marriage in official CRPF documents upon returning to duty.
Ahmed said he first learnt of his dismissal through media reports before receiving an official notice. He now plans to pursue legal action, expressing confidence in securing justice through the courts.
Menal is currently staying at Ahmed’s residence in Jammu.