New Delhi/Srinagar: In a major breakthrough, Rajasthan Anti Terrorist Squad has unearthed a scam wherein a large number of people allegedly ‘identifying’ themselves as Navy, Air Force and CRPF and other security force personnel got the gun licences from Jammu and Kashmir.

These licences have been procured and are actually “meant for domicile of J&K and security force personnel” – but a large number of them were sold or procured for the ‘outsiders’.

According to informed sources in Delhi, the Rajasthan ATS has already communicated with the Army headquarter and top officials in Indian Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, Border Security Force(BSF) and the Central Reserve Police Force(CRPF) on the matter.

There are over 3000 fake gun licences procured from Jammu and Kashmir – mostly in 2017 – and the Rajasthan ATS, which carried out a special operation, so far arrested at least 50 people.

According to BJP sources, the matter is serious and has “security implications” as identities of army and other security personnel have been grossly abused.

Sources said the magnitude of the ‘clandestine gang operation’ could be understood from the fact that
out of 548 personnel from the BSF, whose names have been used for gun license only over 300 names of the personnel were found correct.

“That means at least 150 people posed as fraud BSF personnel and procured the gun licences,” the source said adding similarly with regard the CRPF list, only 230 were found correct for at least 424 gun licences issued.

Source said the Governor’s Rule administration in Jammu and Kashmir has taken cognizance of the developments and last week ordered District Magistrates to identify all illegally issued gun licenses, revoke them and ensure deposit of all such arms at police stations within two weeks.

An order from R K Goyal, Principal Secretary Home in Jammu and Kashmir government, the state  government has banned the issuance of fresh arms licenses till further order.

The state government has also referred the entire related matters to the State Vigilance Organisation for investigation even as the J&K Home Department’s order pointed out that the Central government has also in the past reported “indiscriminate issuance of arms licenses” in the state of Jammu and Kashmir – with “specific reference to certain districts”.

Some of the districts identified for the arms licence verification include – Kupwara, Kishtwar, Ganderbal, Udhampur, Leh, Rajouri, Ramban and Reasi, the Jammu and Kashmir Home Department order has said. (UNI)