Srinagar(Jammu and Kashmir): The Central Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday filed two charge sheets against 15 accused in an ongoing investigation of a case related to issuance of a large number of Fire Arms licenses in Jammu and Kashmir to ineligible persons in violation of rules during the period 2012-16, local inputs said.
According to the local inputs, the charge sheet was filed before the Court of Special Judge, CBI Cases, Srinagar.
An official said that the case was registered by CBI in 2018 on the request of the then State Government of Jammu and Kashmir and further notification of DoPT, Govt of India, transferring to CBI investigation of FIR No.18 of 2018 dated 17.05.2018 registered in Vigilance Organisation Kashmir (VOK).
The matter pertains to issuance of a large number of arms licenses to ineligible persons without due process during the period 2012 to 2016, the official said.
One of the charge sheets was filed under various sections of RPC, PC Act and Arms Act against 10 accused including the then District Magistrate, Kupwara, 4 gun house dealers and middleman while another charge sheet was filed under similar sections against the then ADM, Kupwara and 4 others including gun house dealer and middlemen for issuance of large number of such licenses to ineligible persons, it said.
The CBI investigation has revealed the nexus of the Licensing Authority/District Magistrate with middlemen and other gun house dealers, said the official. He said that in furtherance of the criminal conspiracy, the gun house dealers lured the defence personnel posted at far away places in the country and got their arms license issued from district Kupwara in an illegal manner, despite those personnel neither being resident 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,” he added.
The CBI said that 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 serious threat to law and order and public safety. Further investigation into the case is going on.
