While the missing officer's father, Tarlochan Singh has, in a petition filed in the High Court here stated that Maj Walia was sent on a foreign assignment, the Army authorities have, in their reply, refuted this allegation.

The High Court has, meanwhile, issued directions to the Punjab Police to register a case and investigate the matter.

In his order, Justice R.L. Anand has observed: "It cannot be reasonably ascertained that Maj (retd) S.S. Walia is in the custody of the Army authorities or that Army authorities had assigned any secret duty to him. The fact remains that Army authorities have no knowledge about the whereabouts of Maj Walia."

As per the petition, Maj Walia, an Intelligence Corps officer, had left his S.A.S. Nagar residence on May 26, 1992, saying that he was to "leave for Bangkok on an official mission." Maj Walia, after having taken premature retirement in March 89 had "maintained close contact with the Army till the evening he suddenly disappeared." He had not even returned to collect his luggage.

He had last served with the Western Command Liaison Unit, Chandimandir, then being commanded by Col S.T. Manimala (now Brigadier). The petition stated that Maj Walia had told his father that he was proceeding on the mission as per the directions of Col Manimala. He had also given his family two telephone numbers in Chandimandir and two in Delhi in case they wanted to know his whereabouts.

When, Tarlochan, a private medical practitioner in Batala, contacted Col Manimala to enquire about his son's whereabouts, he was, as per the petition, assured that he would return back soon.

Incidentally, Brigadier Manimala, in an affidavit filed before the court in October last year had denied that Maj Walia had ever worked under him or under his supervision.

Maj Walia's discharged slip, a copy of which was attached to court records, was signed by Brig Manimala when he had been commanding the unit. In a subsequent affidavit, however, Brig Manimala stated that Maj Walia had served under him but denied sending him on any mission. Counsel for the petitioner had contended that "these factors clearly indicate that Brig Manimala wants to hide something from the Court".

Meanwhile, in a letter written to the then Prime Minister in 1995, Tarlochan Singh alleged that "they" had told him that his son had been picked up by someone in Delhi and taken to the Red Fort. He was then brought to a CRPF Mess in Chandigarh and thereafter to Patiala, Faridabad and finally to a Joint Interrogation Centre in Amritsar.

His letter also mentioned that "they" had been holding special meetings with the DGP, Punjab, for which a Brigadier from Army Headquarters specifically came from Delhi. He also claimed that an officer once mentioned that Maj Walia "has taken some hasty steps and done some fisty things, which need time to be settled."

The police top brass, which he also approached for assistance, told him that they are "using his services" or "making use of his knowledge and experience."

Observing that Maj Walia has been missing from May 26, 1992, Justice Anand ordered that "the matter be inquired into by the SSP Ropar, who is directed to register a criminal case about the missing of Maj S.S. Walia and the investigation of the case be handed over to the CIA staff so as to hunt out, if pos-sible, Maj Walia. If any criminal offence has been committed against Maj Walia, the gulity will be brought to book".