J&K scam: Backdated gun licences issued by District Magistrates under CBI scanner

New Delhi, Mar 05: Investigators are looking at the role played by some former District Magistrates who had allegedly issued back dated licences. The move comes following the arrest of IAS officer, Rajeev Ranjan in connection with one of the country's biggest gun licence scam.

It may be recalled that in 2017, the Ministry of Home Affairs had said that during the last 15 years, DM's serving in different districts of Jammu and Kashmir had issued 3,69,191 gun licences.

The investigators would question some gun dealers who allegedly paid off the DMs to obtain gun licences for individuals. The DMs who are now serving in various departments would also be questioned in connection with the case.

The CBI has arrested two former DMs, three IAS officers, while placing under the scanner several other gun dealers. The CBI is probing the role of the IAS officers and fun dealers. A CBI source told OneIndia that one IAS officer had issued a licence from the back date after he was transferred as district magistrate from a district in Kashmir.

The CBI had earlier this week arrested two former DMs of Kupwara in connection with case.

Ranjan was posted as the additional chief executive officer, Metropolitan Regulatory Authority, Jammu. He was arrested in connection with the gun licence case and remanded in CBI custody for 10 days. Following this development, Ranjan was suspended with effect from February 29.