Srinagar: Selma City Police, who arrested former Indian Army Major Avtar Singh last month on charges of domestic violence in California, on Wednesday said that Singh is a 'free man' and is not under any kind of police surveillance.
"He is not in our custody, he was released on bail and since then he is a free man," Lt. Christie Ediger, a Selma Police official told Kashmir Dispatch over phone from US.
The official, however declined to comment on the Interpol's Red corner notice against Singh and whether Interpol has approached Selma Police with a fresh request to keep a vigil on him.
"I cannot comment on that aspect," she said.
A New Delhi based news paper on Monday reported that Singh, a prime accused in the kidnapping and murder of human rights activist, Jaleel Andrabi was in preventive custody of Selma Police.
The newspaper quoted Inspector General (IGP) Crime, Raja Ajaz Ali who is also Interpol's laison offcier in Jammu and Kashmir saying that 'Singh was in the preventive custody of the US police in California'.
Singh has been evading arrest since he fled India. In 2005, he was traced to Canada but soon went into hiding after his cover up was blown off. Later, he had migrated to US and is presently running a trucking business in Selma, Fresno County in California.
Earlier, Andrabi's family had also expressed apprehensions on the attempts made by the government to extradite Singh. A family member told Kashmir Dispatch that the delay on part of the government might allow Singh to run away from his present location, as he did before when he was traced to Canada in 2005.
Sources in Home Ministry told Kashmir Dispatch on Tuesday that the government has already given a go ahead for Singh extradition from US.
On February 21, a California based news channel, Action News reported on Avtar Singh’s presence in Selma locality of California. Singh who was in hiding since he left India was arrested on charges of domestic violence after his wife filed a police complaint.
Despite an Interpol red corner notice, the US State Department told the local police that it wasn't necessary to hold Singh, who let Singh free on bail hours after his arrest. However, the local police say they will still keep a close vigil on his movements after fingerprints revealed his identity and an Interpol hold for Andrabi's murder.
Major Avtar Singh of 35th Rashtriya Rifles, is accused of killing 11 persons including Andrabi. He fled India in 2005 and was living in Canada before fleeing to US.
According to the investigations carried out by a police’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) on court orders, Singh along with government gunmen abducted Jaleel near Barazulla on airport road on March 8 in 1996, when the activist was driving home along with his wife.
The mutilated body of Andrabi was found in the Kursuraj Bagh, Srinagar on the banks of the Jhelum River on the morning of March 27, 1996. 42-year old Andrabi had been shot in the head and his eyes had been gouged out. An autopsy showed that he had been killed days after his arrest.
A case was registered under FIR No. 139/96 in police station Saddar, Srinagar and a case for the past 15 years is pending in the CJM Court.
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