CBI raids bureaucrats’ houses in illegal arms licence case

Tribune News Service

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New Delhi, July 24

The CBI today carried out searches at the offices and residences of several senior bureaucrats at nearly 40 locations in J&K, including the residential premises of Srinagar’s ex-Deputy Commissioner (DCs) Dr Shahid Iqbal Chaudhary, in connection with a case relating to an alleged arms licence racket.

The search was carried out in Jammu, Srinagar, Udhampur, Rajouri, Anantnag, Baramulla and Delhi, officials in the CBI said. Nearly 20 gun houses/dealers were also raided.

The action was in connection with a case registered by the CBI in 2019 wherein it had alleged that between 2012 and 2016 DCs of various districts in the UT had fraudulently issued bulk arms licences to seek monetary consideration. It was alleged that more than 2.78 lakh arms licences were issued to non-entitled persons.

Officials said that during the investigation and scrutiny of documents, the role of certain gun dealers surfaced. These gun dealers, in connivance with public servants, such as the then DMs and ADMs of the districts concerned, had allegedly issued illegal licences to people who were not eligible.

It has also been alleged that people, who got these arms licences, were not residents of the districts from where they were issued the licences.

Chaudhary, a 2009-batch IAS officer who is currently serving as the Administrative Secretary of Tribal Affairs Department in J&K administration, while reacting on the CBI raids, tweeted, “With reference to media reports, I have to confirm that the CBI did search my residence and found nothing incriminating. Media friends may note the probe covers four years across all districts. I am fully answerable to the CBI for my tenure.”

The Rajasthan ATS had unearthed the scandal in 2017 and had arrested over 50 persons following which the then J&K Governor NN Vohra had handed over the matter to the CBI.

Searches at 40 sites across UT, Delhi

• Nearly 40 locations in J&K and Delhi have been searched. These include house of Srinagar’s ex-DC Dr Shahid Iqbal Chaudhary. Nearly 20 gun houses/dealers were also raided.
• The raids were in connection with a 2019 case wherein several DCs have been accused of fraudulently issuing bulk arms licences to seek monetary consideration.