The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has filed a Prosecution Complaint (PC) under the provisions of the Prevention of Money-laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 against 21 accused persons in the infamous fake gun license scam of Jammu and Kashmir.
The PC was filed against 21 persons including the then Arms License Authorities (DM/ADMs) – Rajeev Ranjan(IAS) and Itrat Hussain Rafiqui, judicial clerks, other officials of the office of Deputy Magistrate, Kupwara and gun house dealers, agents, and middlemen including Rahul Grover, Syed Addel Hussain Shah, and Syed Akeel Shah before the Special Court (PMLA), Jammu in a case related to illegal issuance of a large number of arms licenses. The Special Court has taken cognizance of the PC on 12.02.2024.
ED has filed Prosecution Complaint (PC) under the provisions of PMLA, 2002 against 21 accused persons/entities which includes the then Arms License Authorities (DM/ADMs) – Rajeev Ranjan(IAS) and Itrat Hussain Rafiqui, Judicial Clerks, other officials of Office of Deputy…
— ED (@dir_ed) February 13, 2024
ED initiates an investigation based on various FIRs
The Enforcement Directorate initiated an investigation on the basis of various FIRs registered by the Anti-Terrorist Squad, Special Operations Group, Jaipur, Rajasthan Police, and Central Bureau of Investigation, Chandigarh under various sections of IPC, 1860 and Arms Act.
ED investigation revealed that during the relevant period the then District Magistrate (DM), Additional District Magistrates (ADMs), judicial clerks, and other officials of the office of District Magistrate, Kupwara in connivance with gun house dealers and agents, middlemen hatched a criminal conspiracy among themselves and issued/renewed large number of illegal Arms License 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, 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 Crores and gold during search and seizure action. The attachment and seizure have been confirmed by Ld. Adjudicating Authority, PMLA, New Delhi.
Scam exposed by Rajasthan ATS, Madhya Pradesh Police
The Rajasthan Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) and Madhya Pradesh Police had unearthed the scam in 2017 and had arrested over 50 people for their alleged involvement in the illegal issuance of arms licenses. According to Rajasthan ATS, over 3,000 permits were granted allegedly in the names of Army personnel.
Rajasthan ATS and Madhya Pradesh Police had found that at least 40,000 licenses were issued in J&K and a majority of them were found to be fake by investigators of both states.
Case handed over to CBI in 2018
Based on the findings of Rajasthan ATS and Madhya Pradesh Police, the then Governor of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, N N Vohra had handed over the matter to CBI for a thorough probe.
After taking over the case, the CBI had carried out searches at 17 places including the premises of two senior IAS officers in Jammu and Kashmir in 2019.
2 former DMs and one serving IAS officer were earlier arrested by CBI
After conducting raids, CBI had arrested two former District Magistrates of Kupwara -- Kumar Rajiv Ranjan and Itrit Hussain Rafiqui -- for issuing gun licenses "fraudulently and illegally in lieu of monetary consideration" during their respective tenures. Ranjan was in office from 2013-2015 and Itrit held the post from 2015 to 2016.
2.78 lakh arms licenses issued to non-entitled persons
It is alleged that more than 2.78 lakh arms licenses were issued to non-entitled persons from 2013 to 2016. CBI also collected documents about the issuance of said armed licenses allegedly spread over 22 districts of the erstwhile state of J&K.
During the investigation and scrutiny of documents, it was found that some gun dealers, with the connivance of public servants, especially the then-District Magistrates and Additional District Magistrates (ADM) of concerned districts, had allegedly got illegal arms licenses issued to ineligible persons.
It was also alleged that the persons who got these licenses were not residents of the places from where the said arms licenses were issued.
