This is an archive article published on July 23, 2025
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‘Susceptible to life threats’: Former special NIA judge gets arms licence after Delhi HC steps in
While he had then appeared before the authority, he was neither issued a license nor was his application rejected
Justice Sachin Datta was hearing the officer's plea seeking a direction to the licensing authority to issue him an arms licence, which he had applied for more than a year-and-a-half ago (File)
Following the intervention of the Delhi High Court in May, the Delhi Police last month granted an arms licence to a judicial officer who had cited that he was “susceptible to life threats” after having served as a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) judge.
Justice Sachin Datta was hearing the officer’s plea seeking a direction to the licensing authority to issue him an arms licence, which he had applied for more than a year-and-a-half ago.
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On May 30, Justice Datta directed the Delhi Police joint commissioner (Licencing) and the Delhi government to take a decision on the application within four weeks and disposed of the plea.
The officer, Ravi Dahiya, was called by the joint commissioner’s office on June 17, and granted the licence on the eighth day thereafter.
Dahiya, after submitting an application with the Delhi Police licensing department on November 22, 2023, was called for a personal assessment before the licensing authority on August 1, 2024. While he had then appeared before the authority, he was neither issued a license nor was his application rejected.
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Deputed in Delhi since June 2023, and a member of the Tripura Judicial Services (District Judge Cadre), Dahiya – through his lawyer Sadiya Rohma Khan – had informed HC that he has served at “sensitive posts”, including as a special NIA judge in Tripura.
He also informed the court that he and his family “are highly susceptible to life threats”, given that Tripura is “one of the most vulnerable geographical areas dealing with an upsurge
of terrorists.”
“It is shocking that the petitioner and his family are living with no security at New Delhi and this potentialises both direct and indirect threat to their personal safety and security,” the plea has said, adding that he has been sent to Delhi on deputation in a civil department, where no security guard is provided.
He had a personal security officer while he was posted in Tripura, Dahiya submitted.
Submitting that they are living with a “restricted sense of freedom to live and travel”, Dahiya emphasised that he should be “free from any external criminal threats and potential risks and non-interference in free movement, and be able to defend himself if any question of interference or threat arises”.
Justice Sachin Datta was hearing the officer's plea seeking a direction to the licensing authority to issue him an arms licence, which he had applied for more than a year-and-a-half ago (File) 
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