Davinder Singh knew Naveed Ahmed Shah for 7 years

Hyderabad: It was about seven years ago that Naveed Ahmed Shah alias Babu, then a newly recruited special police officer (SPO), first came in contact with Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Davinder Singh. Since they belo-nged to South Kashmir, Naveed during the course of his duties would meet his superior regularly, particularly to share information about the terror network in his home town.

Over the years, Naveed was absorbed into the police department as a constable. By then, he had a fairly decent idea of Davinder’s reputation when it came to money-making matters. Both are then believed to have joined hands as Naveed became the conduit for Davinder to extort money from terror suspects. Their friendship continued till the police arrested them in each other’s company at Qazigund on January 11.

In a disclosure that has left all agencies working in Jammu and Kashmir red-faced, Davinder has revealed that his “association” with Naveed started seven years ago and remained that way even after he joined the Hizbul Muja-hideen.

Highly placed sources associated with the investigation told Deccan Chronicle that Davinder, who is presently in the custody of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), first met Naveed in his office sometime in early 2013. Since he bel-onged to South Kashmir, he just wanted to call on him and introduce himself. Since Naveed was well-connected with the local populace not only in Shopian but also Pulwama, he would regularly get information about the movement and designs of terrorists, which he would share with Davinder, who worked in different posts in that period.

Over a period of time, Naveed Ahmed Shah alias Babu, a resident of Nazneenpora in Shopian, had started working as a conduit for Deputy Superintendent of Police Davinder Singh. As special police officer, Naveed used to visit Davinder’s home on quite a few occasions and used to regularly be seen in his office.

Though sources indicated that Naveed worked under Davinder at some point, the same was not confirmed by officials.

There were several underground cadres who were in touch with both of them, something that is common in anti-terror operations.

Sometimes, these cadres would provide information to buy their own safety, sometimes due to ideological differences or due to tussles between local and foreign militants. “Both Davinder and Naveed made the most of this information, making huge money in the process,” sources said adding that Davinder even had a share in the cash rewards on the heads of various terrorists who surrendered.

But, by the end of 2016, Naveed who had a close association with militants and their handlers across the border, made up his mind to join the ranks of the Hizbul Mujahideen.

In 2017, while he was posted on the Food Corporation of India’s premises in Budgam’s Chandpora, he decamped with four rifles from the guard room and joined the Hizbul Mujahideen. Later, he was involved in snatching a weapon from a legislator’s house.

Even after he joined Hizbul, Naveed remained in touch with Davinder. Sources said Davinder used to talk not only to Naveed but through him, with other militants. They would communicate through various apps and therefore never came on the security agencies’ radar. “With Naveed in the Mujahideen and in a position to pay, Davinder started helping him and his family by providing them safe houses and transport, besides parting sensitive information. He ferried Naveed on an earlier occasion as well,” they said.

Naveed alias Babu, who is Hizbul Mujahideen’s second major commander,after Riyaz Naikoo, has 17 FIRs against him.