Arms licence case: Enforcement Directorate files prosecution complaint

New Delhi, February 13

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a prosecution complaint under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, against 21 accused, including IAS officer Rajeev Ranjan, Itrat Hussain Rafiqui, judicial clerks and other officials before the PMLA Special Court in Jammu, in a case related to illegal issuance of large number of arms licences. The special court took cognisance of the complaint on February 12.

The ED initiated an investigation on the basis of FIRs registered by the anti-terrorist squad, special operations group, Jaipur, Rajasthan Police and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Chandigarh.

The investigation revealed that during the relevant period the then DM and ADMs, judicial clerks and other officials of the office of the district magistrate, Kupwara in connivance with gun house dealers and agents and middlemen hatched a criminal conspiracy among themselves and issued and renewed large number of illegal arms licence to ineligible applicants in lieu of monetary consideration by flouting various norms, procedures of Arms Act.

The accused were found to be in acquisition and possession of proceeds of crime generated out of criminal activities related to the above scheduled offences.

Earlier, the ED had issued a provisional attachment order attaching movable and immovable properties of the accused to the tune of Rs 4.69 crore and seized cash to the tune of Rs 1.58 crore and gold during search and seizure action.

The attachment and seizure has been confirmed by the lead adjudicating authority, PMLA, New Delhi while further investigations are going on in the case, sources informed.