Ludhiana: Fake dope test reports expose loopholes in arms licensing

According to assistant commissioner of police (ACP) licensing Rajesh Sharma, who filed the complaint, the fraud came to light when discrepancies were spotted in the stamps on the dope test reports

In a development that has raised serious concerns about the integrity of the firearm licensing system, Ludhiana police have booked three individuals for submitting fake dope test reports to secure arms licences. Shockingly, one of them had already managed to obtain a licence using forged medical documents before the fraud was caught.

Such loopholes in the arms licensing system pose grave threats to public safety, as individuals who may be unfit to possess weapons can easily exploit the system. (Shutterstock)

Such loopholes in the arms licensing system pose grave threats to public safety, as individuals who may be unfit to possess weapons can easily exploit the system. The failure to verify reports before granting licences raises alarming questions about the scrutiny exercised by the authorities.

For now, the police have seized the forged documents and initiated a probe.

The accused have been identified as Hardik Khanna of Lajpat Nagar, Uday Pratap Singh Grewal of Guru Gobind Singh Nagar, and Nishan Singh of Dashmesh Nagar. Separate FIRs have been lodged against them at Division Number 5 police station under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including cheating, forgery, and use of forged documents. In Grewal’s case, Section 30 of the Arms Act has also been added, as he successfully obtained a licence with a fake report.

According to assistant commissioner of police (ACP) licensing Rajesh Sharma, who filed the complaint, the fraud came to light when discrepancies were spotted in the stamps on the dope test reports. “When we sent the reports for verification to Ludhiana civil hospital, it was confirmed that the reports, signatures, and stamps were entirely fake,” he said.

Officials fear that these may not be isolated cases. “Earlier also, similar incidents have surfaced. We are now re-examining all pending files and suspect more fake reports were submitted. Investigations are underway to trace the racket behind these forged documents,” ACP Sharma added.

This is not the first time the licensing process has been compromised. On May 13, police had booked Lalit Kumar, a driver-cum-security guard from Sahnewal Kalan, and international shooter Gurnihal Singh Garcha of Model Town for using fake dope test reports. Garcha, ironically a decorated sportsperson who won medals at international championships, was also found guilty of attempting to bypass mandatory checks.