The CBI on Monday conducted searches at 13 locations in Srinagar, Jammu, Gurugram, Noida and Mohali, including the premises of two IAS officials, in connection with the issuance of about 2 lakh arms licences in the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir.
“Premises of the then Deputy Commissioners/District Magistrates of Kupwara, Baramulla, Udhampur, Kishtwar, Sopian, Rajouri, Doda and Pulwama are being searched,” said a CBI official.
Among them are 2007 and 2010 batch IAS officials Yasha Mudgil and Rajiv Ranjan. While Ms. Mudgil held the charge of Baramulla and Udhampur, Mr. Ranjan was posted in Kupwara.
During the check period, Itrat Hussain was the District Magistrate of Kupwara, Salim Mohammed of Kishtwar, Mohammed Javed Khan of Kishtwar and Shopian, F.C. Bhagat of Rajouri, Farooq Ahmed Khan of Doda and Jehangir Ahmed Mir of Pulwama.
The searches pertain to an ongoing investigation of two cases involving allegations that arms licences were issued to non-residents in lieu of illegal gratification.
The CBI probe into the alleged illegal issuance and renewal of arms licences, particularly from 2012 to 2016, started last year.
The alleged scam was unearthed during an investigation by the Rajasthan Police’s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in 2017.
The ATS arrested over 50 people for their alleged role in illegal issuance and renewal of arms licences. It turned out that more than 3,000 permits were granted allegedly in the name of Army personnel. The ATS also seized a large number of firearms and licences during probe.
Based on the findings, the then J&K Governor referred the matter to the CBI.
It is alleged that the officials flouted the rules and norms in issuing the licences, based on forged papers. No records of the permits were allegedly maintained.
