JAMMU : Seizure of arms from nine persons arrested while roaming suspiciously outside an army base in Kalakote on Wednesday has led the investigators to over a decade and half long old gun licences scam, the investigations of which had been hushed up due to ‘political pressure’.
The scam related to seizure of over 1,000 fake gun-licenses in 2011, as a consequence of which 18 persons, including the then Sub Divisional Magistrate Mendhar, had been arrested.
Now, with the seizure of 12 fake licences in Sunderbani area has sounded alarm in the police circles, as some of the arrested persons are reported to have revealed about many more persons possessing similar fake licenses. To trace the illegal license holders, Rajouri Police on Thursday constituted a SIT headed by SDPO Nowshera. Inter-alia, the team will probe the matter related to recovery of two illegal 12 Bore guns without licenses, 13 fake gun licenses and five cartridges from the possession of nine persons.
The SIT constituted in 2011 under the supervision of the then SDPO West Dy SP Shiv Kumar Chouhan had left the investigations half way, reportedly due to politico-bureaucratic pressure.
Only one FIR (18/2011) was challaned while two respective FIRs registered in Rajouri and Poonch were kept under investigations.
The then IGP Jammu Zone Dilbagh Singh had ordered seizure of all the fake licenses issued allegedly by the then SDM Mendhar Mukhtiar Ahmed Choudhary, who had also served as ADC Rajouri. However, the case was later on hushed up. All the accused were set free on bail.
Reliable sources informed that in 2011, the police had also wrote to then Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar to provide the details of the licenses issued during the period. However, due to political pressure the case was hushed up.
In 2011, the majority of seized licenses were issued from Rajouri. The recovery of fresh fake licenses from Sunderbani also shows the stamps of the office of District Magistrate Rajouri.
Additional SP Nowshera Atul Sharma said, “We have formed the SIT and investigations are being conducted. Police is looking for few Rajouri conduits based to dig out the scandal.”
The members of the then SIT constituted in Jammu in 2011 suspected that more than 10,000 fake licenses had been sold in Rajouri and Poonch belt, with the active connivance of gun traders.
On 7th February , 2011, two persons, Mohammad Naseer, son of Misri and Mohammad Rafiq, son of Munir Ahmad, resident of Kotranka Tehsil Budhal, Rajouri had been intercepted while carrying 12 bore guns by a Naka party of Police Station Janipur at Roop Nagar.
On checking of the licences produced by the duo, these were found to have purportedly been issued by Sub-Divisional Magistrate Mendhar bearing different addresses viz Kupwara, Budhal and Kathua.
Accordingly, FIR 18/2011 under section 420,467,468 and 471 RPC and 3/25 Arms Act was registered at Janipur and the accused were arrested.
During the course of investigation, these accused had disclosed involvement of four persons in the racket, Bitoo, son of Milkha Numberdar, resident of Nanday Gadyok, Rajouri; Chain Singh, son of Inder Singh, resident of Khawas, Rajouri; Subash Chander, son of Chuni Chand, resident of Kaga Khawas, Kotranka, Rajouri and Parshotam Singh, resident of Palouri Tehsil Budhal, Rajouri.
Police later arrested them along with bills of 12 Bore Gun provided by “Singh Gun House” Shaheedi Chowk, Jammu. On further investigation, it came to light that the accused Chain Singh and Subash Chander had taken Rs. 36,000 each from some people of Budhal, Kotranka, Kalakote and Rajouri through Bitoo, son of Milkha Singh and Parshotam Singh and managed to obtain fake gun licences from SDM Mendhar with active connivance of Judicial Clerk and other officials posted in the office of SDM Mendhar.
While nine gun licenses (photocopies) and 13 gun bills of 12 bore were seized from “Singh’s Gun House” Shahedi Chowk, photostat copies of 31 licences were seized from “Suresh Armoury” Shaheedi Chowk, Jammu.
During the investigation it had come to light that the accused persons had formed a group with active connivance of one Mohammad Khaliq, Judicial Clerk in the office of SDM Mendhar, who were preparing fake gun licences without police verification and used to sell these licenses against hefty amounts.
Some more photocopies of fake gun licences of different districts/ tehsils purported to have been issued by SDM Mendhar were recovered by Jammu Police.
During that time, the matter was taken up with the Divisional Commissioner Jammu, District Magistrate Jammu/ Rajouri for cancellation of these licences.
The passport authorities were also requested not to issue any travel document in favour of Mukhtar Choudhary, SDM Mendhar.
Also, all SSPs of Jammu Zone were provided the list of fake gun licence holders for action under law.
Over 18 accused including the SDM Mukhtiar Ahmed Choudhary, Qasim Hussain, Tanveer Ahmed, Punjab Singh, Parshotam Singh, Khem Raj, Ranjeet Singh, Sanjay Kumar, Baldev Raj, Harpreet Singh, Manvinder Singh, Rahul Grover, Babal Singh, Kaka Khan, Chandan Kumar, Kewal Krishan Sharma, Chain Singh and Subash Chander were arrested. Presently, all the accused are on bail.