Arms Licences Scam: DB grants last opportunity to Govt to file latest status report

STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: In the infamous Arms Licences Scam, a Division Bench of the High Court of J&K and Ladakh at Jammu (through Virtual Mode) comprising Chief Justice Tashi Rabstan & Justice Puneet Gupta while expressing its displeasure over the non-filing of the latest status report by the U.T. Administration granted last and final opportunity to Sr. AAG S.S. Nanda appearing for Govt. of J&K/U.T. Administration to do the needful by filing the latest status report in terms of Division Bench order dated August 13th, 2024 whereby the Court had directed Sr. AAG S.S. Nanda to file updated status report on behalf of U.T. Administration with regard to the Prosecution Sanction proposal sent by the U.T. Administration to the Central Government.
The Division Bench headed by the Chief Justice Tashi Rabstan after hearing Advocate S.S. Ahmed with Advocate Rahul Raina in the much publicized Public Interest Litigation (PIL No. 09/2012) titled Sheikh Mohd Shafi & Anr. V/s U.O.I & Ors. further directed that perusal of the previous orders passed by this Court would show that Sr. AAG S.S. Nanda has not done the needful in terms of order dated August 13th, 2024 and it is made clear that if the above directions are not complied with by the next date of hearing, appropriate orders would be passed against erring respondents.
The Division Bench further observed that Notices issued to newly impleaded respondents i.e. CBI through its Director and CBI through its Head of Branch, Special Crime Branch, Sector 30-A, Chandigarh have not been received back served or unserved and the Division Bench in the interest of Justice awaited their appearance.
The Division Bench headed by the Chief Justice Tashi Rabstan also directed DoPT, Government of India to submit before the Court the outcome of the clarification sought from Ministry of Home Affairs in terms of its letter No. 107/22/2023-ADV.I/CII dated 08-08-2024 before the next date of hearing.
Needless to mention herein that the Division Bench vide its order dated September 5th, 2024 impleaded CBI through its Director and Superintendent of Police/Head of Branch, CBI, Chandigarh as party respondents in the PIL and the CBI on October 15th, 2024 filed comprehensive Status Report in the infamous Arms Licences Scam and in its Status Report divulged that it has sought Prosecution Sanction against ten IAS Officers who from 2012 to 2016 were discharging their duties in several Districts of J&K as District Magistrates. The CBI has further revealed in its Status Report that around 2.74 lakhs Gun Licences were issued by the District Magistrates in contravention of the Arms Act and the rules made thereunder by abusing their official positions for monetary considerations. The CBI has revealed that around 13 Charge Sheets have been filed in J&K against JKAS officers, Gun Dealers and middle-men, however, Charge Sheets could not be filed against IAS Officers for want of Prosecution Sanction.
Looking into the importance of the matter, the Division Bench directed the Registry to re-notify the instant PIL on November 19th, 2024 and also directed the respondents to file response to CM No. 2618/2024 filed by Advocate Ahtsham H. Bhat. Advocate Sumant Sudan also appeared in the matter.