The Central Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday filed two chargesheets against 15 accused in the Court of Special Judge, CBI cases, Srinagar, in an ongoing investigation of a case related to the issuance of a large number of fire arms licenses in J&K to ineligible persons during the period 2012–16.
The case was registered by CBI in 2018 on the request of the then State Government of Jammu & Kashmir and further notification of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) Government of India, transferring to CBI the investigation of FIR No. 18 of 2018 dated May 17, 2018 registered in Vigilance Organisation Kashmir (VOK).
The matter pertains to the issuance of a large number of arms licenses to ineligible persons without due process during the period 2012–2016.
A CBI spokesman said one of the charge sheets was filed under various sections of the RPC, PC Act, and Arms Act against 10 accused, including the then District Magistrate, Kupwara, 4 gun house dealers, and a middleman, while another charge sheet was filed under similar sections against the then ADM, Kupwara, and 4 others, including gun house dealers and middlemen, for the issuance of a large number of such licenses to ineligible persons.
The investigation disclosed the nexus of the then-Licensing Authority/District Magistrate with middlemen and other gun house dealers.
“In furtherance of the criminal conspiracy, the gun house dealers lured the defense personnel posted at faraway places in the country and got their arms licenses issued from district Kupwara in an illegal manner, despite those personnel neither being residents of the state nor posted in the district, without police verification. Alleged illegal gratification per license was sought and collected by the gun house dealers and middlemen,” the CBI said.
The issuance of a large number of arms licenses in a bordering district like Kupwara in an illegal manner to ineligible persons is a matter of grave concern and poses a serious threat to law and order and public safety.
The CBI said further investigation is continuing.
