Constable’s dismissal: High Court issues notice to MHA, CRPF

Jammu, May 30: The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has issued notices to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in response to a writ petition filed by former CRPF constable Munir Ahmed, who is challenging his dismissal from service after marrying a Pakistani national.
Justice Javed Iqbal Wani passed the order after hearing initial arguments in the petition filed through Advocate Ankur Sharma. The court has asked the MHA and CRPF to respond before the next hearing, scheduled for June 30.
Ahmed, who served with the CRPF until May 2, 2025, contends that his dismissal was “arbitrary, capricious, and whimsical.” He argues that he had followed all procedures and repeatedly informed his superiors about his intent to marry his cousin, Menal Khan, a Pakistani citizen whose family migrated from Jammu’s Bhalwal tehsil in 1947.
His application, first submitted in 2022, was returned with objections in January 2023. However, official correspondence in 2023 and 2024—including a letter from the CRPF Inspector General and a certification by the then Director General—confirmed that Ahmed had informed the department in accordance with established rules.
Despite this, Ahmed was transferred to the 41st Battalion in Bhopal in March 2025, where the official posting diary also noted his wife’s Pakistani origin. A termination order followed in May 2025.
To support his petition, Ahmed has presented letters of recommendation from senior BJP leaders. Rajya Sabha MP Gulam Ali Khatana wrote to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in February 2025 requesting urgent visa clearance for Ahmed’s wife. A similar letter was sent in February 2024 by Jammu-Reasi MP Jugal Kishore Sharma to then Minister of State for Home Affairs, Ajay Kumar Mishra.
The case brings into focus the legal and procedural complexities faced by security personnel in cross-border matrimonial matters. The High Court’s forthcoming deliberations are expected to set a precedent for similar cases in the future. (CNS)