CBI may seek nod for lie test on magistrates

The CBI is expected to confront two arrested former district magistrates of Kupwara — Rajiv Ranjan, an IAS, and Itrit Hussain Rafiqui — with other accused in the case in a day or two as part of its investigation into two cases related to an alleged gun-licensing racket in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).

According to sources the agency has collected evidences that need to be verified from the arrested former public servants. “The arrested public servants will be confronted from other accused in the case during custodial interrogation,” sources said. The agency may also conduct lie-detection test on the duo as they are giving conflicting versions during questioning, they added.

The CBI recently arrested two former district magistrates of Kupwara-Rajiv Ranjan, an IAS, and Itrit Hussain Rafiqui--as part of its investigation into two cases related to the alleged gun-licensing racket in J&K.

Meanwhile, sources in the agency said, “Role of at least six more public servants, posted in J&K, is now under the scanner of the agency. The agency sleuths have collected fresh evidences against six more public servants and fresh FIRs may be registered very soon.” The CBI on Sunday arrested Rajiv Ranjan and Itrit Hussain Rafiqui (both public servants) in connection with the case.

“During the CBI investigation, the alleged role of Ranjan and Rafiqui, who had held the position of district magistrate of Kupwara from 2015 to 2016 and 2013 to 2015, respectively, had surfaced,” sources said. The racket came to light after the Rajasthan AntiTerrorist Squad (ATS) in 2017 unearthed one of the biggest gun licences scam operating from J&K. Key districts involved in the racket included Kupwara, Ganderbal, Leh, Rajouri, Ramban, Reasi and Udhampur. The agency had registered two FIRs in this regard with the consent of the J&K government with the then DC of Kupwara listed as an accused in one of them, while unidentified officials of various districts were mentioned in another, sources said.

“There are allegations that the then public servants received illegal gratification in issuance of licences to non-residents of J&K also in violation of rules,” sources said.

The CBI is probing lakhs of arms licences that were issued in the last one decade from various districts of the militancy-hit region, officials said.