Prohibited bore weapons, meant for law enforcement, ending up in hands of politicians
Even as the government has sought to turn off the tap on gun ownership among ordinary Indian citizens, official records show it has sold lethal, prohibited bore weapons to 82 Members of Parliament - at least 13 of whom have themselves declared serious pending criminal cases, including charges of murder, attempt to murder, and kidnapping.
Data on all allotment of guns between August 31, 2001 and April 12, 2012, obtained from the Customs Department’s Anti-Smuggling Unit by RTI activist Ambrish Pandey, show the beneficiaries include Atiq Ahmad, who had 44 criminal cases pending against him at the time the department allotted him a Ruger Rifle M-77 Mark II on August 8, 2006. Similar allotments have been made to Abu Asim Azmi and Rakesh Sachan, both of whom have seven cases pending against them; P.D. Elanguan (5 cases); Afzal Ansari, Brajesh Pathak and Kapil Muni (4 cases each); Rakesh Pandey, R.K. Singh Patel, Sangeeta Kumari Deo and Dharam Raj Singh with 3 cases each; and Jual Oram, Ravindra Kumar Pandey, Dayabhai V. Patel, C. Kuppuswami, Yashvir Singh and Ravinder Singh Pandey with one criminal case each (see chart on Page 10).
Data on allotment of guns and MPs facing criminal cases – pdf
Until 1990, government policies mandated that confiscated weapons of bores prohibited by the government — 9mm pistols, handguns of .38 and .455 caliber, .303 rifle, as well as all semi-automatic and fully-automatic guns — be put to use by departments like the police.
Non-prohibited bore weapons could be given to government officials on lease, subject to the condition that they would be returned after their retirement or superannuation. From March 1990, it was decided to sell surplus non-prohibited bore weapons, at near market rate plus a 250% customs duty, to MPs and other VIPs.
During this period, despite the government citing a shortage of stock to many, MP Rajendra Agnihotri was sold 2 weapons, while MP Renu Kumari’s weapon was exchanged in May 2001, just seven months from the date of sale.
The policy was revised on July 15, 2002 with an additional rider that MPs will be eligible for allotment of a weapon only if they submit in writing that they do not own or possess any weapon at the time of filing their application. “The Members of Parliament will be sold weapons on a first come, first served basis. The Finance Minister’s order has to be taken in each specific case,” the policy stated.
The policy, the data shows, was flouted. Delhi’s Minister for Health and Social Welfare Yoganand Shastri and Andhra Pradesh’s Minister for Roads and Transport Sakkan Pudi Rama Mohan Rao were sold guns by the government in 2004 and 2005, though neither was eligible for one.
In 2009, the Ministry of Home circulated a draft policy, allowing it to issue prohibited bore weapons to “persons who face grave and imminent threat to their lives by mere reason of being residents of a geographical area [or areas] where terrorists are most active and/or are held to be prime targets in the eyes of terrorists.”
The draft policy said this category included “MPs and MLAs including non-officials/private persons [sic] who by virtue of having been closely and/or actively associated with anti-terrorist programmes and policies of the government or by mere reason of their holding views, political or otherwise, not to the liking of the terrorists, have rendered themselves open to attack.”
MPs facing no threat
From the RTI data, it is clear that prohibited bore weapons, as well as others, were being issued to MPs facing criminal cases — and with no evident threat from terrorists — long before the 2009 policy went into effect. Mr. Azmi, for example, received a 9mm pistol in 2005. In other cases, like that of Mr. Atiq Ahmed, the kind of weapon issued is mystifying. “The P77 rifle the records state he got,” a senior police official told The Hindu, “is, as the manufacturer’s website itself states, designed for hunting, and not for self-defence.”
MHA officials contacted by The Hindu declined to comment on the process involved in issuing such weapons, the process by which an application was evaluated, or the officials who made the decision.
“Why should MPs be allotted guns in the first place, considering that the state provides them with security,” asks Trilochan Sastry, president of the Association for Democratic Reforms.
Centralised sale point
According to RTI activist Ambrish Pandey, all confiscated weapons are now sent to the New Custom House in New Delhi.
“This centralised sale point for VIPs under the Finance Ministry allows the government to follow an ad hoc, discretionary and opaque policy of allotment. For example, a gun was denied to ex-DG, Central Economic Intelligence Bureau, S.P.S. Pundir despite the fact that his vigilance-related work posed a security risk but allotted to another officer doing a desk job,” he says.
“The evidence shows over 40 exceptional allotments out of a total of 800,” Mr. Pandey points out.
Keywords: MPs gun allotment issue, gun ownership, Anti-Smuggling Unit, RTI activist Ambrish Pandey, bore weapons
Excellent use of RTI to help India become better. The Hindu is doing its job exceptionally well. Keep up the great work. Looking forward to more such articles in the future. If other media houses can follow the same path of using RTI to publish articles for the betterment of India - it will be even more great. Or perhaps, the media can come together and take one topic a month that everybody can report on all over India and raise awareness, create pressure.
Arms -guns-race has become a mountain high trade! It is pathetic that the law in our country is not stable.Obviously many high ranked politicians are enjoying this "freedom" all along though security got from the government!.Mahatma Gandhi father of the nation opined why we need any arm!peace was the aim ! To day " Honest officers are lacking arms for their services & life security for not providing them " Right Arms " to defend the country.Many Bright officers were killed due to these unknown acts of the rulings.Law in other countries to be seen to Beleve.God save our Nation to protect the common citizen.
This report makes interesting revelations but it's hardly surprising that certain MPs with criminal record are in possession of dangerous weapons. After all what else can we expect them to do other than building up their own arsenal for political executions? It marks the demise of a healthy system when candidates with charges of crimes that should land them behind bars for several years' of rigorous imprisonment manage to get themselves elected to the parliament. Blamed are to be those electorate voting for them on the basis of extraneous considerations. This report has to be viewed in the wider context of criminalization of politics in India. Election Commission here, despite all their sincerity and efforts is helpless to prevent influx of tainted candidates in the highest law-making institution of the land thanks to the apathy of those already elected to prohibit entry of their brethren. This vicious cycle continues. Unless there's greater awareness among voters there is little hope.
This makes the case of Team Anna to request for independent investigations all the more
necessary. If these MP's acquired arms even after their cases are pending in court and nobody
could stop them, what option does the general public has other than to protest protest and
protest.
Dear citizens, do you think that this country has any future. I feel a definite NO. NO. and No. Our leaders are bad and hopeless; our reperesentatives are bad and hopeless. We have absolutely no say in what is happening in the country. If you try tobe smart you will be phyically harmed or even killed. None of us want to get into this. Oue politicians know this and they are making merry. God bless this country. I feel that this country has no future. Murthy
A person with 44 criminal cases against him is an MP!!? How disgusting!! If weapons are alloted to MLA/MPs based on the geographical area where terrorists are active then why not allowing common public also to carry weapons in such areas. Its the common public which is victimised in terrorist attacks more than these goons, how many instances have we seen in which the number of MLA/MPs killed was more than the number innocent common public?
criminals claim that Anna team is insulting them.what a kind of taunt is it ?most of our MPs are hard core criminals.what a hard luck of public that these dacaits demand for respect in place of shoes on their head.these traitors must be by-couted and insulted wher ever and when ever they meet public.
All confiscated weapons should be melted and then the metal be put to use.
Govt. is funding their crimes. What else can you expect from an overly underacheived Govt.? Enough is Enough. Dont give any more reasons for why a civil war is not an answer.
Is India turning out to be a banana republic!? In the first place, what are these people doing in the parliament? How did the Electiion Commission allowed candidacy of these people?
Questions are to be asked both by public and the public media? The most populous
democracy on the planet can't allow such extreme irregularity! It is a death knell for the decent functioning of democracy and the administration of rule of law!
Our "honourable" MPs have taken the country for a ride in all possible ways. Sadly, the government has been an active malevolent accomplice in this sinister tragedy. Most MPs lack moral integrity and financial probity. It appears that even a thousand "Annas" cannot retrieve us from this bottomless pit.
At least now the government should stop selling prohibited bore weapons
to any body, and give them to the security agencies or to the armed
forces. The level of security provided to legislators need not be
greater than that provided to the law-abiding citizens of India. It is
quite bizarre why legislators with criminal records are sold weapons on
the prohibited llst.Maybe the government works for them and not for the
citizens.
The Indian State providing the hardware at public expense.
These people are elected to do everything as per the law of the land to protect the lives and property of those who elect them. They themselves admit having flouted the laws and hence criminal cases are pending. One reason commonly given is that they need to arm themselves in view of threat to their lives.When their own lives are under threat, how are they going to safeguard others in the society. As voters when we go to exercise our vote, we must remember this fact and save ourselves from the sin of filling the parliament with such people. That is the only option by which we can eradicate this growing evil.
It is not that these MP’s would want the guns to use them themselves. They have goonda followers who get to use these dangerous weapons to shake and ultimately kill innocent people. The family members of these MP’s also get to possess the weapons endangering children and neighborhoods. Like the sign, “Beware of dog,” these people may be required to display a sign, “Beware of Dangerous Weapons” at locations where they keep the weapons.
Why a person in India needs RTI to get informations when entire Indian Political class in all
States are looting openly day in day out like mafia?
After reading this news by any outsider(other than Indian businessman) never come to India for investments. He/she can understand how the STATE of LAW prevailed in India. Thanks to RTI activist and HINDU.
This indeed is a shocking news to the general public. The Ministry of
Finance & Home Dept., should immediately send a Circular to all the MPs
to return whatever weapons they hold to the New Custom House in Delhi,
under Govt.'s acknowledgement. Each and every weapon should be accounted for by a Senior Official of Policy/Army and these should be kept under joint-custody, like a Bank Cash chest. These senior officials should be selected by a committee of Senior Officers in both Army/Police. Govt., property is public property and should never be allowed to be misused under any circumstances.
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