J&K arms licence scam: HC grants final chance to UT to file status report

A division bench, comprising chief justice Tashi Rabstan and justice Puneet Gupta, expressed displeasure over the administration’s failure to comply with earlier orders

The Jammu and Kashmir high court on Saturday granted UT administration a last opportunity to file a status report in the infamous arms license scam involving bureaucrats.

The case pertains to the issuance of over 2.74 lakh gun licenses by district magistrates in J&K between 2012 and 2016, allegedly for monetary gains. The next date of hearing is November 19. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A division bench, comprising chief justice Tashi Rabstan and justice Puneet Gupta, expressed displeasure over the administration’s failure to comply with earlier orders.

Subsequently, the division bench directed the senior additional advocate general to file the latest status report regarding the prosecution sanction proposal sent to the central government.

“Failure to comply may result in action against the respondents,” observed the bench.

The case pertains to the issuance of over 2.74 lakh gun licenses by district magistrates in J&K between 2012 and 2016, allegedly for monetary gains. The CBI has filed charge sheets against JKAS officers, gun dealers, and middlemen but awaits prosecution sanction to proceed against IAS officers.

The next date of hearing is November 19.