The Enforcement Directorate has officially filed a Prosecution Complaint against 21 individuals involved in the illegal arms license issuance in Jammu and Kashmir, citing violations of guidelines and acceptance of illegal payments.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken decisive action by filing a Prosecution Complaint (PC) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against 21 individuals and entities linked to the issuance of illegal arms licenses in Jammu and Kashmir.
The case, dating back to the years 2012-2016, exposes a web of corruption, where approximately 2.78 lakh arms licenses were granted to defense and paramilitary personnel. This issuance allegedly occurred by sidestepping prescribed guidelines, resulting in “ILLEGAL” monetary considerations being funneled to government officials through arms dealers and brokers.
ALSO READ: Calcutta High Court Reduces Charges for BSF Soldier Vijay Prakash After 11 Years
The list of accused individuals includes prominent figures such as IAS officer Rajeev Ranjan, the former Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Kupwara, and KAS officer Itrat Hussain, the former DC of Kupwara. Both were previously apprehended by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2020 as part of the ongoing investigation. Additionally, eight former DCs are currently under scrutiny in connection with the case.
In 2017, the Rajasthan Police’s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) discovered a potential connection between criminals in Rajasthan and arms dealers in Rajasthan and Jammu & Kashmir. Following this revelation, former Jammu & Kashmir governor N. N. Vohra transferred the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2018. The decision was prompted by evidence suggesting the participation of Jammu & Kashmir government officials in the scandal.
ALSO READ: Jacqueline Fernandez Withdraws Court Plea Against Sukesh Chandrashekhar’s Extortion Case
The ED’s involvement was triggered by various FIRs registered by the ATS of Rajasthan Police and the CBI, invoking sections of the IPC and the Arms Act.
An ED spokesperson revealed–
“ED investigation revealed that during the relevant period the then DM/ADMs, judicial clerks, and other officials of the office of Kupwara, in connivance with gun house dealers and agents, hatched a criminal conspiracy among themselves and issued or renewed a large number of illegal arms licenses to ineligible applicants in lieu of monetary consideration by flouting various norms, procedures of the Arms Act.”
Earlier, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had issued a provisional attachment order, seizing both movable and immovable properties valued at Rs 4.69 crore from the accused individuals. Alongside this, a significant amount of cash amounting to Rs 1.58 crore and gold were confiscated during the investigative search.
The Adjudicating Authority for the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in New Delhi has subsequently validated the actions of the Directorate of Enforcement. The authority confirmed the attachment and seizure of the mentioned assets as part of the ongoing legal proceedings related to the case.
