DC orders revocation of arms licences to POs

Anirudh Gupta

Ferozepur, December 9

Following the report regarding issuance of firearms licences to 21 proclaimed offenders (POs) in The Tribune, Deputy Commissioner Chander Gaind today issued directions to revoke licences issued to all those involved in criminal cases with immediate effect.

Talking to The Tribune, Gaind said before initiating the cancellation procedure, show-cause notices were being issued to 21 licence holders (POs) to explain as to why their licences should not be revoked permanently.

He said he had received a report from SSP Vivek Sheel Soni, recommending the cancellation of the licences.

Of the 21 POs, nine were involved in cases under Negotiable Instruments Act, while 12 have serious criminal charges against them.

The DC said he had directed the SSP to submit a detailed report on the procedure followed to issue arms licences during 2007-10. He said the SSP had also been asked to ascertain whether the cases were registered against them before the issuance of the licences and how they managed to get the police clearance report?

Gaind said it was a serious issue and any kind of callousness in this regard was unwarranted. He said stern action would be taken against erring officials responsible for the lapse.

Earlier, thousands of fake arms licences issued by the local licensing authorities were seized from criminals following which a CBI inquiry marked on the instructions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court after names of several bigwigs, including MLAs, MPs, civil and police functionaries, had cropped up in the case in 2001. Six clerks in the LPC branch were suspended, who had admitted that they made fake licenses under pressure from political masters.

The CBI had scanned 27,188 arms licences issued between September 1998 and February 2001, of which around 15,000 were found to have been issued in a dubious manner.