Pathankot Attack: NIA Conducts Lie Detector Test On Salwinder, To Continue Tomorrow

19 January, New Delhi

After getting nod from a Delhi court, the NIA today proceeded with conducting a lie detector test on controversial Punjab Police officer Salwinder Singh, who claimed to have been abducted, ahead of the terror attack on Pathankot airbase on January 2.

“The polygraph test (lie detector test) on Salwinder Singh has commenced today. It is likely to go on tomorrow as well and then conclude, subject to the satisfaction of forensic expert,” a senior Home Ministry official said, speaking on behalf of the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Finding Singh’s statements as variance with his cook Madan Gopal and Panj Pir dargah Som Baba during a week-long examination of the trio at NIA headquarters here, the agency had approached the court Monday to seek its permission to conduct lie detector test(polygraph test) on the Punjab Police officer.

Sources said Singh, who is being examined as witness, not accused, under Section 160 of the Code of Criminal Procedures (CrPC), might have given his consent, but the NIA wants to fortify its case and therefore, was being legally circumspect in this sensitive case.

In a dramatic turn of events, Singh claimed that he was abducted on the intervening night of December 31 and January 1 by some culprits, who later turned out to be the terrorists. The terrorists attacked the airbase next day.Before being summoned by the NIA,

Singh had already given multiple versions of his “abduction” in freewheeling interviews to TV channels. Singh is said to have been cooperating with agency, but his claims are at variance with those made by the cook and the dargah keeper.

Singh has claimed that he was regular visitor to Panj Pir dargah and he was on his way there, when he was abducted. Som Baba denies having seen Mr Singh at dargah.