File affidavit on missing arms: HC to Punjab DGP

Chandigarh, December 14

Admonishing the Punjab Government for sorry state of affairs after noticing that a carbine went missing from state armoury, the High Court has called for an affidavit from the DGP. He has been asked to give details of the weapons deposited with the state armoury and information on missing weapons if any.

The direction by Justice Vinod S Bhardwaj came on a petition filed against the state of Punjab and other respondents by Daljit Singh through counsel SS Salar. “The present case reflects the sorry state of affairs where a M1 carbine has gone missing from the armoury and the authorities have filed an evasive response about their inability to trace the weapon,” Justice Bhardwaj asserted. In his order, Justice Bhardwaj observed a status report filed by Tarn Taran SSP merely showed that the weapon in question had been originally licensed to one Subedar Major Malawa Singh.

Justice Bhardwaj added the allegation was that one Bakhshish Singh removed the weapon in a clandestine manner. The final report in the matter had also been filed. “Invariably, the authorities have failed to take adequate and appropriate steps to effect recovery of the weapon in question.”