Intel wing asks cops to verify credentials of arms licensees

AMRITSAR: The alleged nexus between gangsters and arms dealers has prompted the intelligence agency of the police to ask Police Commissioners, IGs and DIGs of seven police ranges, and SSPs to verify the credentials of all arms licencees before returning their weapons.

PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 21

The alleged nexus between gangsters and arms dealers has prompted the intelligence agency of the police to ask Police Commissioners, IGs and DIGs of seven police ranges, and SSPs to verify the credentials of all arms licencees before returning their weapons.

The weapons were deposited with the police before the Assembly elections.

Sources in the Special Task Force (STF), an intelligence wing of the police, said police officials were also asked to inspect the stock of all arms dealers and to check whether or not record has been maintained. Intelligence officers have been asked to submit a compliance report in the first week of March.

Such an inspection is necessary under the Arms Act after every three months to check the misuse of weapons. But it is never done.

The role of arms dealers came under the scanner following the arrest of Kiranpal Singh, the owner of a gun house in Moga, in connection with the Nabha jailbreak. He had allegedly supplied weapons to gangsters, who had stormed the jail.

In January, the STF had nabbed arms dealer Rashneet Sharma, who had allegedly provided Amritsar-based gangster Kamal Bori with arms. In another case, the STF quizzed an arms dealer following the arrest of his associate Ankush Jolly in connection with weapons seized from him.

The investigation by the STF brought out that gangsters managed to get arms licences in the name of their friends, relatives and “support elements” with the help of their political connections. Arms were issued on these licences. Further, arms dealers failed to keep a record of ammunitions used by licensees.

“As per rules, every bullet is accountable. A record of their usage should be maintained. But arms dealers seldom ask licence holders about it,” an arms dealer said.

An official said the interrogation of gangsters brought out that at several places, the police issued receipts of deposition of arms to licence holders, but actually they did not take the weapons in their custody.

Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh, IG, STF, confirmed this, but refused to divulge details. He said the STF would take steps to arrest gangsters operating in Punjab.