JAMMU: The recent verification drive initiated by District Commissioner to check the genuiness of licence issued to shops dealing in sale of guns and ammunition in Jammu district allegedly turns into money minting exercise for some touts who openly brags of close proximity with concerned officers.
On condition of anonymity, an official of DM, Jammu office said ” During licence verification drive on Tuesday, the team led by ADC, Ganshyam Singh has verbally directed the owner of shop dealing with sale of guns and ammunition at Residency to keep it close as the later fails to produce legitimate permission including licence issued by the competent authority for sale of guns”.
Later, one conduit of gun dealers namely Rahul Grover who is notorious for procurement of fake gun licenses in connivance with couple of IAS and KAS officers in the past has allegedly sealed the deal by lobbying for the re-opening of shop of said gun dealer.
It’s worth to mention here that Rahul Grover is facing multiple FIRs in fake gun licence procurement cases and remained in Jaipur jail after he was picked up by Rajasthan ATS team in fake gun license scandal which was highlighted by media throughout the length and breadth of the country. Later, the ED also raised his house in Chowadhi in connection with the investigation pertaining to proceeds of Ill gotten money running into crores he allegedly gathered by managing fake gun license with the help of some gun dealers in Jammu.
“The licence of this dealer has not been renewed for almost a decade and still he continues to engage in sale of guns at his shop in city.” reveal an official of DC office on condition of anonymity.
In 2011, three gun dealers shops at Residency Road were sealed by District Magistrate, Jammu and since then the two dealers discontinued the sale of guns as the duo were not granted renewal of their dealership license due to registration of FIR against them in alleged case of issuance of fake licenses to outsiders by masquerading them as army jawans posted in J&K.
But, strangely the third is openly selling guns at his shop when the concerned authority has since then never renewed licence of gun dealership which is a big sandal, added the official.
It would not be out of place to mentioned here that the said dealer is facing criminal cases pertaining to sale of fake gun licences racket which was unearthed by the then Nowabad SHO Jaipal Sharma.
“Recently, the name of this dealer also surfaced in sale of guns on fake gun licences to two OGWs arrested in Mahore by Reasi Police. But, he managed to hushed up his name from the case through a notorious tout who settle the deal for Rs 4 lakhs through one inspector of Jammu and Kashmir Police, disclosed an officer posted in CID wing.
Everyone know the proximity of gun dealers conduit namely Rahul with officials posted in the judicial section of DM office in almost all districts. This tout and gun dealers are working in close association wherein the former procure fake gun licences on hefty amount for civil persons belong to other states by masquerading them as army jawans posted in J&K and later gets the benefits for jump in sale of guns at their shops.
Denying the closure and subsequent reopening of a gun dealer shop at Residency, ADC Jammu Ghanshyam Singh told JK Global News ” The verification has been launched at the behest of Home Department and strict action as per laid down norms will be initiated against those gun dealers who are running the bussiness without valid permission/licence.
Regarding the clout of touts in verification exercise, Singh said “Once the verification drive complete those befooling the defaulter dealers of immunity with false assurance will themselves gets exposed”. Just wait and watch, no one is above law, Singh added.