PDP youth wing leader Waheed Parra arrested by NIA in connection with Davinder Singh case

Parra hails from Pulwama and is considered a Mehbooba Mufti-loyalist; he was said to be in contacts with separatists when PDP was in power from 2015 to 2018

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday arrested Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) youth president Waheed Parra in connection with a militancy case related to suspended DSP Davinder Singh.

Parra was being questioned by the NIA in New Delhi for the last two days and was formally arrested today, sources said. His name surfaced during the probe into the suspended Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Davinder Singh case.

Confirming the arrest a spokesperson of the agency said, “Today NIA arrested Waheed Ur Rehman Parra, the youth wing leader of People’s Democratic Party, in connection with the Naveed Babu-Davinder Singh case for supporting Hizbul Mujahideen in conspiracy with the other accused persons.”

On January 12, Singh was arrested while transporting two Hizb-ul-Mujahideen commanders, Naveed Babu in a vehicle to Jammu. While Singh managed to get bail on June 19, the NIA said that it was investigating another case against him.

Parra’s name in the case has reportedly cropped up during questioning of another accused Tariq Mir, a former BJP leader accused of supplying arms to Naveed Babu.

Reacting to Parra’s arrest, PDP president and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti described it as part of the “Gujarat model of persecuting Muslims” adding that “the model is in full swing since August 2019 in J&K”.

“I can personally vouch for Waheed’s integrity, honesty & character. It’s up to the judiciary now to dispense justice & ensure Waheed is released at the earliest,” she tweeted.

Mehbooba said Parra was applauded by the then home minister Rajnath Singh for strengthening democracy in J&K and has been arrested on baseless charges by NIA. “No coincidence that he filed his nomination for DDC on November 20 and received NIA summons the next day itself,” the PDP president added.

Parra, who recently filed his nomination form for the upcoming district development council elections, is considered among the close associates of the PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti. He is among the leaders who remained loyal to Mehbooba in the last two years during which most of the high profile leaders left the PDP.

Parra hails from restive Pulwama district and is considered as one of the leaders who had contacts with separatists when the PDP was in power from 2015 to 2018.