The NIA is likely to book Punjab Police former SP Salwinder Singh soon for smuggling of drugs and fake Indian currency notes (FICN) following admission by his jeweller friend Rajesh Verma that they had visited the border post on December 31, a day before the JeM terrorists hit the Pathankot airbase, to collect a consignment of drugs.
The NIA — which was probing whether the six Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists had pretended to be smugglers on a mission to hand over a drugs consignment to Singh and his friends — has given clean chit to the former SP in the Pathankot terror attack.
While Verma has opened up during interrogation, Singh has so far proved to be a tough nut to crack, sources said.
During the polygraph test on Wednesday, Singh had complained of uneasiness after being asked a few questions. His blood pressure had also shot up following which the polygraph test was stopped midway. He will be subjected to the test once again after he is fit, the sources said.
The questions Singh was asked during the lie-detector test included, “Why you went to the border post on December 31IJ” and “Who gave you FICNIJ” and “From where you got foreign liquorIJ” Singh was also asked, “Why you carry four cell phones with youIJ”
Singh was also asked during the polygraph test by CFSl scientists, “Does your cook always accompany youIJ” and “Why you took your cook with youIJ”
On his relations with his friend Verma, the questions put forth were, “Since when you know Rajesh VermaIJ”, “What relation you have with VermaIJ”, “What business you have been doing with VermaIJ”
Singh was also told that Verma informed NIA that he had gone to Pathankot to collect drug consignment. The cop was questioned whether Verma used to do payments on Singh’s behalf to drug courier.
On his claim that he regularly visited a mazar in the bordering village, Singh was asked, “Since when have you been visiting the mazarIJ”, “How many times you have been there in the last six monthsIJ” “Who is the caretaker of that mazarIJ” “Do you know him and what is his nameIJ”. The NIA told Singh that “Som, the caretaker told he never met you and does not know you.”
Sources said Singh parried questions. He has also been inconsistent during several rounds of questioning by the agency. His accounts relating to the incidents preceding his alleged abduction and those proceeding after that have been inconsistent as given by him to Punjab Police and NIA.
The NIA has registered three cases relating to the terror attack on the IAF base at Pathankot on the intervening night of January 1 and 2. While the one case relates to the terrorist strike at the airbase, the other relates to the abduction of the SP, his friend Verma and cook Gopal. Another case being probed by the agency relates to the killing of taxi driver Ikagar Singh.
The agency among other things is seeking to unravel the entire conspiracy and possible local support to the terrorists who carried out the attack.