Arms license scam: High Court expresses concern over delayed prosecution sanctions

Jammu, Nov 25: The Jammu and Kashmir High Court expressed serious concern over the delayed prosecution sanctions in the infamous Arms License Scam. A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Tashi Rabstan and Justice M.A. Chowdhary reluctantly granted one month to the Government of India and the J&K Government to file status reports indicating the steps taken for granting prosecution sanction.
The court’s concern stems from the fact that the CBI has been seeking prosecution sanctions against several IAS officers and others involved in the scam, but the competent authorities have been delaying the matter. The court observed that it seems that the prosecution sanction is being sanctioned on a pick-and-choose basis, with influential bureaucrats still roaming free.
The CBI has revealed that approximately 1.53 lakh Arms Licenses were issued in 10 districts of Jammu Division, and approximately 1.21 lakh Arms Licenses were issued in 12 districts of Kashmir Division between 2012 and 2016. Despite this, prosecution sanctions against several bureaucrats are still pending.
The court has directed the Registry to re-notify the PIL on December 30, 2024, and has warned that coercive measures will be taken if the needful is not done before the next date of hearing. [KNT]