Chandigarh, March 8
Kashmir Singh has returned. But mystery continues to shroud the disappearance of an Indian Army Major reportedly working with the military intelligence.
Even after 16 years and a probe by the CBI, the whereabouts of Major Sudhneet Singh Walia are still unknown. So far, the premier investigating agency, looking into the Major’s disappearance on the Punjab and Haryana High Court directions, has submitted two “untraced” reports.
The failure of successive governments to inform the family about the Major’s whereabouts has once again brought under scanner the alleged use-and-throw policy of the authorities concerned. Only on last Friday, Kashmir Singh had blamed the Indian government of doing nothing to either bring him back, or support his family. Two former spies on Kashmir Singh’s return had also sought the framing of a comprehensive policy for the welfare of people lured into undercover operations.
In his 40s, Major Walia, on May 26, 1992, had informed his family about the proposed visit to Bangkok on an official mission. He was to contact the Army authorities on the evening of May 28, 1992, for collecting baggage and other documents for the mission, but had failed to turn up at the appointed hour, his father Dr Tarlochan Singh of Batala in Gurdaspur district had contended before the high court.
In a petition seeking a CBI probe, Dr Tarlochan Singh had added that Major Walia had instructed them to contact Col S.T. Manimala in case of any problem. The Colonel had initially assured them of their son’s early return but later, in an affidavit, had denied that
the victim was ever working under his supervision, Dr Tarlochan Singh had asserted.
Going into the background, he had claimed that his son had unofficially been asked to work for the intelligence wing after his pre-mature retirement from service. “He was often sent on secret missions by the intelligence wing and used to remain away from the family,” Dr Tarlochan Singh had asserted.
Claiming to have forwarded a representation to the Prime Minister, besides contacting the Army authorities several times, Dr Tarlochan Singh had concluded that they were still clueless about his whereabouts.
Acting on his petition, the high court had initially directed the registration of an abduction case under Section 365 of the IPC. The case was duly registered on February 19, 1999, at a police station in Mohali, yet his whereabouts could not be ascertained.
His brother, advocate R.S. Ahluwalia, says the matter was subsequently handed over to the CBI. But after a probe, it submitted an untraceable report. The matter was again taken up by the CBI following their objections, but second untraced report was submitted to the court last year.
“And now no one is really doing anything about it,” he rues. “We only hope the issue is taken up by the powers that be so that his return, like that of Kashmir Singh, can be secured”.
