Srinagar: The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has defended its decision to dismiss constable Munir Ahmed from service, saying his marriage to a Pakistani woman posed a potential threat to national security.
Ahmed had filed a writ petition in the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh challenging his dismissal. The CRPF, in its response, said Ahmed married Pakistani national Menal Khan despite objections from senior officers and before any decision was made on his applications seeking permission for the marriage.
Although the DIG (Administration) had clarified that under the CCS (Conduct) Rules 1964, a government employee marrying a foreign national only needs to inform the government, the CRPF argued that Pakistan’s status as a hostile nation required special consideration.
In a letter dated 23 July 2024, the Jammu Sector CRPF resubmitted Ahmed’s file to the J&K Zone CRPF, recommending that no NOC be issued. The letter stated that the CCS Rules were framed decades ago, when Pakistan was not considered hostile, but the situation had changed after the rise of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir.
The CRPF said Pakistan has been involved in abetting terrorism and gathering intelligence on Indian security forces, adding that Ahmed, as part of the CRPF’s executive staff, had access to sensitive information. “There is apprehension that once he gets married to a Pakistani girl, our security will get compromised and… (this) could endanger our national security,” it said.
It also referred to instances where women had acted as spies to lure security personnel into marriage, though Ahmed maintained that Khan was his relative.
The CRPF said Ahmed had solemnized nikah with Khan on 24 May 2024 through video conferencing and later sought an NOC. It learnt from media reports on 28 February 2025 that Khan had entered India on a 15-day tourist visa and was living with Ahmed.
Ahmed was dismissed on 3 May without a formal inquiry, with the CRPF terming his actions detrimental to national security. The dismissal came soon after the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed by terrorists from Pakistan.
Ahmed has denied wrongdoing, claiming he had informed the CRPF Directorate about his marriage and had sought an NOC in December 2022. He also admitted that his wife’s short-term visa had expired earlier this year and they were trying to obtain a long-term one.
Following the Pahalgam attack, Khan was issued a ‘Leave India’ notice and taken to Attari for deportation, but the process was halted after Ahmed moved the High Court.