SC asks Centre, states for details on arms licences

The petition, which came up before the Bench of Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice R V Raveendran, contended that even officials of the licensing department were involved in the scandal. No verification about the antecedents of the person to whom the licences were issued was being carried out.

The petitioner feared that such unchecked issuance of arms license to unscrupulous persons with dubious track records had led to a sharp rise in terror activities in the country.

Terming it a serious matter, the petitioner further submitted that there was a report by the District Collector of Shriganganagar in Rajasthan which stated that officials and staff of the Arms Licence Department were involved in the racket and arms were being provided to anti-social elements as well as to anti-national elements.

The petitioner asked the court to issue directions for a thorough investigation by an independent investigating agency like CBI. He submitted a list of 40 Army personnel, including senior officers of the rank of Major Generals and Brigadiers, who were facing allegations of selling their service arms to arms dealers, posing a grave threat to the country.