Soha Ali issued notice on weapon misuse

Chandigarh, Mar 21 (UNI) The Gurgaon district administration today issued a show cause notice to actress Soha Ali Khan regarding misuse of her licensed weapon by her father Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi in the Black Buck poaching case.

Through the notice, the administration also asked Soha Ali to explain as to why she concealed the fact that her .22 rifle was in custody of Jhajjar police when she applied for its renewal on September 7, 2005.

The notice said the actress should have informed the district authorities about this fact as it was her moral duty.

Besides, the notice observed that when she was issued the arms licence on November 1996, her age was below 21 years where as according to Section 9(1)(a) of the Arms Act 1959, the age of applicant for arms licence should not be under 21 years.

She has been asked to file reply to the notice within a fortnight and submit her original arms licence in the District Magistrate's Office within 15 days.

The weapon was still in the custody of Jhajjar Police which was investigating the case.

The district administration has asked why her licence should not be cancelled by invoking Section 17(3)(c) and Section 17(3)(d) of Arms Act 1959.

If no reply was received from her side, it would be presumed that she had nothing to say and the district administration would take appropriate action under law.

District Magistrate Rakesh Gupta said the Jhajjar police did not intimate the Gurgaon Administration earlier about the misuse of rifle entered in Soha's arms licence.

As far as the missing of original file of Soha Sultan's arms licence was concerned, the District Magistrate has ordered an enquiry by ADC Abhe Singh Yadav. He would enquire into all aspects of the case, including issuing of arms license to under age Soha Sultan and fixing responsibility for the missing file.

UNI MA YA AS1807