ED files prosecution complaints against 21 accused in J&K illegal arms licenses case

Srinagar, Feb 13 : The Enforcement Directorate has filed a prosecution complaint against 21 accused in a case linked to illegal arms licenses case in Jammu and Kashmir.

According to a statement, issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) ED filed the prosecution complaint against 21 accused which includes the then arms license authorities Rajeev Ranjan (IAS) and Itrat Hussain Rafiqi, judicial clerks, other officials 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 PMLA Court Jammu in a case related to illegal issuance of large number of arms licenses.

The statement reads that the ED initiated investigation on the basis of various FIRs registered by the Anti-Terrorist Squad/Special Operations Group Rajasthan Police and Central Bureau of Investigation Chandigarh under various sections of IPC and Arms Act.

“ED investigation revealed that during the relevant period the then DM/ADMs, judicial clerks and other officials of office of Kupwara in connivance with gun house dealers and agents hatched a criminal conspiracy among themselves and issued or renewed large number of illegal arms license to ineligible applicants in lieu of monetary consideration by flouting various norms, procedures of Arms Act,” it reads.

It added that 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 provisional attachment order attaching movable and immovable properties of the accused worth of Rs 4.69 crore and seized cash to the tune of Rs. 1.58 crore and gold during search—(KNO)