Srinagar: A Gallantry Award winner Indian Police Service (IPS) Officer, Arvind Digvijay Negi, the former Superintendent of Police with National Investigation Agency (NIA) has been arrested by the (NIA) on the charges of conspiring with over ground workers (OGWs) of Pakistan based terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiyyeba (LeT).
NIA issued a statement saying that Negi has been arrested for his alleged collusion in LeT Over Ground Workers Network case vide number RC 30/2021/NIA/DLI.
“During investigation, the role of Arvind Digvijay Negi, IPS and currently posted at Shimla (since repatriated to his home cadre from NIA) was verified and his premises were searched. It was also found that Negi had leaked papers that fell under Oficial Secrets Act (OSA)) to another accused person who is an OGW of LeT in the case,” the NIA said .
“The NIA carried out the arrest after “verifying claims ” made by the suspects and giving Negi a chance to clarify multiple times. Electronic devices seized during searches were also scanned for evidence before the decision to arrest was made.”
Negi has been arrested in the same case in which so-called Human Rights activist Khuram Parvez was arrested by the NIA on 30 November last year. Sources said that the role of Negi came up during the NIA probe against Khurram Parvez.
NIA began its probe into the widespread OGW network in the first week of November. The OGWs were accused of providing support in planning and execution of terrorist activities in India. So far NIA has arrested six accused persons in the case.
Sources said that investigations began after an intelligence input was received hinting that details of investigation into crucial cases were being shared with Pakistan backed OWGs of terror outfits.
During the investigations, NIA carried out searches in the house premises of Negi in Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh, Sonwar and Amirakadal in Srinagar — the residence and office of Khurram Parvez.
Arvind Digvijay Negi during his stint with NIA has investigated several terror-related cases. These included terror funding, PDPDs Waheed Para, and Deputy Superintendent of Police, Davender Singh. It is also alleged that Negi “facilitated” bail for Para in exchange for money, an allegation that was being looked into by the agency.
Negi was awarded Gallantry Medal in 2017 for meritorious service after investigating the Hurriyat terror funding case.
Negi was also part of the probe team that had carried out searches at Khuram Parvez.
Promoted to the IPS in 2016, Negi was repatriated to his cadre after completion of 11 years and three months of deputation to the NIA – one of the longest tenures in the anti-terror probe agency since its inception following the terror attack in Mumbai in 2008.