CBI begins probe into J&K arms licence case

SRINAGAR: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has begun investigation into a case of arms licences issued in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) between 2012 and 2016 on forged documents allegedly involving some Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers of the cadre, officials said on Thursday.

The agency has registered two first information reports (FIRs) in this regard with consent of the state government with the then DC of Kupwara listed as accused in one of them, while unidentified officials of various districts have been mentioned in another, the officials said.

The Chandigarh unit of the CBI has registered the FIRs for alleged criminal misconduct and criminal conspiracy under the Ranbir Penal Code and violation of Section 3/25 of the Arms Act besides provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act.

The officials also said the case was transferred to the CBI on a strong recommendation of director general of Rajasthan Police, O P Galhotra, who had written to J&K home department suggesting “transfer of the case” to the central agency without any further delay. Galhotra had said the case pertains to the issuance of arms licenses in “fraudulent manner by various authorities in Jammu and Kashmir”.

According to the Rajasthan anti-terrorism squad (ATS), the probe involves some IAS officers of J&K cadre in issuance of arms licences on forged documents.

Around 4.29 lakh arms licences have been issued in the last one decade from various districts of the militancy-hit state, the ATS had estimated.

THE PROBE INVOLVES SOME IAS OFFICERS OF J&K CADRE IN ISSUANCE OF ARMS LICENCES ON FORGED DOCUMENTS