‘74 criminals got a licence without proper check in 6 Kanpur dists’

At least 74 criminals secured arms licenses without revealing their background information in six districts of Kanpur police range, reveals an in-depth review by

At least 74 criminals secured arms licenses without revealing their background information in six districts of Kanpur police range, reveals an in-depth review by the police department.

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According to the review, around 77 licenses were fraudulently issued in Kanpur alone where five criminals also managed to get themselves a licence.

On the basis of these findings, IG Kanpur range Mohit Agarwal ordered cancellation of 151 licenses earlier this week. Agarwal had gone for the audit last month in Kanpur, Kanpur Dehat, Farrukhabad, Etawah, Kannauj and Auraiya districts after it emerged that the clerks at firearms department issued a total 93 arms licenses using forged signatures of the district magistrate.

“Following the audit we have three categories. First, the licenses issued fraudulently, second where criminals managed to get arms licenses and third where people were involved in heinous crimes after taking a licence,”said Agarwal.

Of the 93 licences issued in Kanpur, 77 were cancelled and 74 others of two other categories were also cancelled.

The data shows the maximum number of criminals who got these licences were from Farrukhabad (32), Kannauj 13, Etawah 11, Auraiya, 7, Kanpur Dehat 6 and Kanpur city 5.

Agarwal has now asked all the police officials who issued a favourable report that helped the unwarranted elements get licences under investigation in these districts. “This is serious and the investigation will be monitored closely ,” he said.

Similarly, the police now plans to question all the 77 licence holders in Kanpur to determine if they knew about the racket and still went for the licenses or if they were tricked by the clerks and middlemen.

There have been allegations that the clerks were issuing licenses for monetary gain and had employed a number of middlemen to get them people looking for a licence.

“In case the police finds evidence that they willing to become a partner to the crime, cases will be registered against them,” he said.