'Was granted permission': Sacked CRPF jawan on marriage to Pakistani woman

Munir Ahmed, a resident of the Gharota area of Jammu who joined the CRPF in April 2017, said he would challenge his dismissal in court.

"I am sure of getting justice," he reportedly said.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has terminated the jawan from service with immediate effect for concealing his marriage to a Pakistani citizen and knowingly allowing her to remain in India beyond the validity of her visa.

Munir Ahmed, posted in Jammu and Kashmir, came under scrutiny after officials discovered he had not only kept his marriage under wraps but had also failed to report that his wife’s visa had expired, reported India Today.

"I initially came to know about my dismissal through media reports. I shortly received a letter from the CRPF informing me about the dismissal which came as a shock to me and my family as I have sought and received permission for my marriage to a Pakistani woman from the headquarters," Ahmad told PTI over phone from his house.

Online relationship led to cross-border marriage

Ahmed had tied the knot with Minal Khan, a resident of Punjab province in Pakistan, in May 2024. The two reportedly grew close through social media and solemnised their marriage via an online nikah.

After months of delay in securing travel permissions, Khan arrived in India in March 2025 on a short-term visa.

However, the visa expired on March 22. Despite this, she continued to stay in India.

Her lawyer claimed that she had applied for a long-term visa, but authorities flagged the breach.

Following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, Khan was served a deportation notice as part of India’s wider crackdown on Pakistani nationals residing in the country.

She left Jammu and had reached the Attari-Wagah border to return to Pakistan when she secured a court order granting her temporary relief, allowing her to remain in India.

Security violation cited in probe

The CRPF launched an internal probe into Ahmed’s conduct and concluded that he had violated service conduct rules by suppressing information about his marriage and his wife’s illegal stay.

The force described the breach as a serious lapse, especially given the sensitivity of his posting and the heightened security environment.

Officials warned that the incident raised red flags over internal vigilance and the potential for security risks in cases involving foreign nationals, particularly from countries with which India shares strained relations.

Crackdown on Pakistan intensifies after Pahalgam killings

Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated since April 22, when terrorists from across the border killed 26 civilians—mostly tourists—in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam.

The massacre has triggered a series of retaliatory steps from India, including cancellation of visas, closure of borders and airspace, suspension of trade ties, and freezing of the Indus Waters Treaty.

In this context, Ahmed’s concealment of personal information and facilitation of his Pakistani wife’s illegal stay were viewed as not only a disciplinary violation but a potential threat to national security.