Dead man served notice for violating arms rules in Chandigarh

M S Sandhu, a retired chief engineer who had passed away in 2011, had transferred his arms licence to his son. The notice came as a shock to his family.

The licence was renewed in 2020 and will only expire in 2025, as per documents with the family.

The Chandigarh deputy commissioner’s (DC’s) office on Friday served a notice to M S Sandhu saying that action would be taken against him for failing to renew his arms licence. What the authorities did not know was that Sandhu had passed away in 2011.

The notice came as a shock to Sandhu’s family. “It has been around 14 years since my father-in-law passed away. My husband’s name is already in the police records, saying that the arms licence has been transferred in his name. Yet the DC office has served a notice to my father-in-law,” Sandhu’s daughter-in-law Nita, a resident of Sector 11, Chandigarh, told The Indian Express.

A retired chief engineer, Sandhu had transferred his arms licence to his son, R S Sandhu, also a retired chief engineer, in 2004. The licence was renewed in 2020 and will only expire in 2025, as per documents with the family.

“We are senior citizens. My husband is 67 years old. Why this harassment,” asked Nita, a retired principal of a government school in Chandigarh.

Before the elections, she said, the police had visited them to ensure that her husband would deposit his licenced arms. The DC’s office should have coordinated with the police department before sending the notice, she added.

“As senior citizens, we got so worried after seeing the notice. When the policemen came before the elections to check with us, they had records that mentioned my husband’s name. So how come the deputy commissioner’s office served such a notice? The arms licence was transferred 20 years ago and has seen subsequent renewals as per procedure,” Nita added.

The deputy commissioner’s office has issued over 700 notices to people for non-renewal of their arms licences.

What the notice says

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The notice sent by the Chandigarh deputy commissioner’s office over failure to renew an arms licence stated: “Whereas, you have violated the provisions of above said sub-rule 24 of Arms Rules, 2016 and Section 21(1) of the Arms Act, 1959 as amended in 2019 as the renewal of your arms license was due w.e.f.’ 2006: and as per record you have not applied for renewal of your arms license till date beyond the required date as mentioned in Arms Rules, 2016.”

“Therefore, you are hereby directed to deposit your weapons immediately within 15 days with the officer in charge of the nearest police station or with a licensed dealer or where such person is a member of the armed forces of the Union, in a unit armory and also called upon to show cause within 30 days from date of issue of this notice as to why your arms license should not be revoked by cancelling it,” it added.

Hina Rohtaki

Hina Rohtaki is a Special Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. She is one of the most prominent journalists covering the Chandigarh Administration, civic issues, and the unique political status of the Union Territory. Professional Background Experience: She has been in the field for over a decade and is known for her investigative reporting on administrative waste and urban governance. Awards: She is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award, which was presented to her by the President of India in January 2020. She was also awarded the Jethmalani prize (The Will of Steel Awards) in 2025 in the Empowerment category for a series of articles that highlighted the struggles of Covid widows. Core Beat: Her primary focus is the Chandigarh administrative structure, the Union Territory's financial management, and urban development projects. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent work highlights a focus on government accountability, administrative expenditures, and civic trends: 1. Investigative & Financial Reporting "Fuelling power: Senior UT IAS officers guzzled petrol worth Rs 30 lakh in 2 yrs" (Dec 14, 2025): An investigative report detailing the high fuel bills of top bureaucrats, including the Finance Secretary and Chief Secretary’s staff. "Admn spends Rs 1.5 crore on dismantling road railings and fixing again after increasing height" (Dec 8, 2025): Highlighting administrative waste on "non-viable" solutions for pedestrian control. "Chandigarh’s finances under ministry’s watch now" (Nov 27, 2025): Reporting on the new requirement for MHA approval for all new projects in the UT. 2. Governance & Constitutional Status "What will it mean for Chandigarh if it is brought under Article 240?" (Nov 24, 2025): An "Explained" piece on the potential constitutional shift that would grant the President more power over the UT's governance. "MP Manish Tewari moves Bill seeking directly elected Mayor with 5-year tenure" (Dec 6, 2025): Covering the legislative push to reform Chandigarh's municipal leadership structure. "No proposal to increase Mayor's term in Chandigarh by 5 years: Centre" (Dec 10, 2025): Reporting on the Union government's response to demands for a longer mayoral term. 3. Urban Infrastructure & Environment "Chandigarh admn cuts power to India's tallest air purifier, asks firm to dismantle it" (Nov 17, 2025): A critical report on the failure of a high-cost environmental project deemed "of no use" by experts. "UT rethinks 24/7 water supply project as costs soar" (Nov 26, 2025): Detailing the financial challenges and delays in modernizing the city's water network. "Centre 'obfuscating, covering up' MC's shifting deadlines for clearing Dadu Majra dump" (Dec 12, 2025): Reporting on the ongoing controversy surrounding the city's major waste dump. 4. Lifestyle & Local Trends "Chandigarh turns into a Thar city as women fuel the surge" (Dec 2, 2025): A feature on a unique automotive trend in the city, with a record 600 registrations by women drivers this year. "After fivefold spike in 2023, EV sales struggle to pick pace in Chandigarh" (Dec 2, 2025): Analyzing the slowdown in electric vehicle adoption despite previous surges. Signature Beat Hina is known for her meticulous tracking of RTI (Right to Information) data to expose administrative inefficiency. Her "Ground Zero" reporting on the Dadu Majra garbage dump and her scrutiny of the Chandigarh Smart City projects have made her a key figure in the city’s civil society discourse. X (Twitter): @HinaRohtaki ... Read More

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