The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Wednesday “forfeited” the Sher-e-Kashmir Police Medal for Gallantry awarded to suspended Deputy Superintendent of Police Davinder Singh, who was caught with Hizbul Mujahideen militants in a car last week, PTI reported on Thursday. The administration’s order said that Singh’s act amounted to disloyalty and brought the police force into disrepute.

“Consequent upon the arrest of Mr Davinder Singh on January 11 while trying to assist terrorist to travel outside J&K and recovery of arms and ammunition which amounts to disloyalty and conduct that has brought the force into disrepute, the Sher-e-Kashmir Police Medal for Gallantry, is hereby forfeited,” the order, signed by Principal Secretary (Home) Shaleen Kabra said. Singh had received the medal last year.

On Tuesday, reports said that Singh sheltered the Hizbul Mujahideen militants he was caught with last Saturday in his home. Singh and the militants were apprehended from a car on the Jammu-Srinagar highway. The senior policeman, who was suspended on Monday, lived right next to the Army’s XV Corps headquarters at Badami Bagh cantonment.

Singh escorted the militants from Shopian in South Kashmir to his home on Friday and allowed them to stay overnight. The militants were identified as top Hizbul Mujahideen commander Naveed Babu, and his accomplices Irfan and Rafi. The four reportedly set out for Jammu on Saturday morning, and planned to go to New Delhi from there.

Singh was absent from duty on Saturday, and had applied for leave till Thursday, police officials said. After being arrested, Singh was interrogated. His office at Srinagar airport, where he was posted in the anti-hijacking squad, has been sealed. Two AK-47 rifles from the car, and a rifle and two pistols were recovered from his home.

In 2013, Afzal Guru, the prime accused in the 2001 Parliament attack case, had claimed that Singh had asked him to accompany one of the attackers to Delhi and arrange his stay there.