Jammu, July 25, 2024 – In a significant breakthrough, police on Thursday recovered 435 fake gun licences from an under-construction house in the Gadigarh locality. The discovery has raised alarms about the extent of forged arms licences in the region.
Raid and Discovery: Acting on an input about Tirath Singh of Gadigarh, who owns gun houses, police conducted a raid in the presence of a magistrate. The raid led to the recovery of a bag containing 435 gun licences, along with other documents. “Around 435 gun licences, prima facie fake, were recovered from an under-construction house in Gadigarh locality. We have registered a case under relevant sections and initiated a probe,” said a police officer.
A case has been registered at the Satwari police station, and investigations are underway to trace the origins and distribution network of these forged licences.
Historical Context: This discovery brings back memories of the huge arms licence scam allegedly involving deputy magistrates in Jammu and Kashmir, unearthed by the anti-terrorism squad of Rajasthan in 2017. The scam, involving the issuance of bulk arms licences to non-residents on forged documents, was being investigated by the Jammu and Kashmir Police before the case was handed over to the CBI by then-governor NN Vohra.
The Scam Uncovered: Between 2012 and 2016, deputy commissioners of various districts in Jammu and Kashmir had fraudulently and illegally issued bulk arms licences in exchange for monetary consideration. The Rajasthan ATS had arrested over 50 people for their alleged involvement in the illegal issuance of arms licences. According to the ATS, over 3,000 permits were granted allegedly in the name of Army personnel.
Subsequently, the CBI registered two cases on the request of the J&K Government and further notification from the Government of India. The cases involved the bulk issuance of arms licences, with more than 2.78 lakh licences issued to non-entitled persons. The investigation covered documents from 22 districts.
Implications and Future Actions: The recent recovery of fake licences in Gadigarh highlights the ongoing issue of forged arms licences in the region. The police and CBI are expected to collaborate closely to uncover the full extent of the network and bring the perpetrators to justice.
For more updates on this developing story, visit Sarhind Times.
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