‘Permission Was Granted’: Sacked CRPF Trooper On Marriage To Pakistani Woman

India: Hours after being dismissed from service for “concealing” his marriage with a Pakistani woman, CRPF trooper Munir Ahmed on Saturday said he solemnized his marriage nearly a month after getting permission from the force’s headquarters last year.

Munir Ahmed, a resident of Gharota area of Jammu who had joined CRPF in April 2017, said he will challenge his dismissal in the court of law. “I am sure of getting justice”.

“I initially came to know about my dismissal through media reports. I shortly received a letter from the CRPF informing me about the dismissal which came as a shock to me and my family as I have sought and received permission for my marriage to a Pakistani woman from the headquarters,” Ahmad told PTI over phone from his house.

“I made the first correspondence on December 31, 2022 informing my wish to marry the Pakistani national and I was asked to complete formalities like enclosing copies of passport, marriage card and affidavits.

“I submitted my affidavit and also the affidavits of my parents, sarpanch, and district development council member through proper channels and finally got a go ahead from the headquarters on April 30, 2024,” he said.

The CRPF trooper said he applied for a No Objection Certificate (NOC) but he was told that such a provision is not available and he has already completed the formalities by informing the government about his marriage to a foreign national in accordance with the rules.

“We got married online on May 24 last year through a video call. Subsequently, I submitted marriage pictures, ‘Nikkah’ papers and marriage certificate to my 72 Battalion where I was posted.

“When she came for the first time on February 28 on a 15-day visa, we applied for Long Term Visa in March itself and completed the necessary formalities including interview,” he said, highlighting that this paved the way for the High Court of J&K and Ladakh to provide relief to them by staying his wife’s deportation at the last moment on Wednesday.

Ahmed said he returned to his duties at the end of his leave period and was asked to report to the battalion headquarters at Sunderbani on March 25 but on March 27, “I was handed over a transfer order and posted with 41st Battalion at Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) without providing 15 days mandatory joining period.

“I was given the order copy and relieved immediately, leaving me with no option but to join my duties at Bhopal where I joined on March 29. I faced the interview of the commanding officer and his deputy on reaching there and also completed the documentation process, clearly mentioning my marriage to a Pakistani woman,” he said, adding he has even made the entry in his battalion data record book.

The CRPF trooper said he will be moving the court in the next few days to challenge his dismissal.

“I am hopeful of getting justice from the court of law,” he said.