Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Oct 1: In a major operation, district administration with the assistance of police today sealed an illegally operating gun factory in Gangyal area and seized more than 400 weapons of different specifications. Similar action against another gun factory, which is also operating on fictitious papers in the same area, will be taken within next few days.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that by invoking the powers delegated under Section 22(1)(b) and 22(2) of Arms Act, 1959, District Magistrate-cum-Deputy Commissioner Jammu, Ajeet Kumar Sahu last evening issued orders for action against two gun manufacturing units—M/s Himalayan Arms Company and M/s Jagjit Gun Works, both situated at Gangyal for carrying out arms manufacturing business without any valid permission from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
A team comprising Additional Deputy Commissioner, Kalyan Singh, Assistant Commissioner General, Shahnaz Akhtar, Tehsildar (Recovery), Jammu and Duty Magistrate Kunal Sharma along with the SP City South Rajeshwar Singh launched operation in M/s Himalayan Arms Company and carried out thorough search.
During the operation, the team found more than 400 guns of different specifications mainly double barrel, which were manufactured without any valid license from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, sources said, adding following several hours long operation the team sealed the gun manufacturing unit. The guns were, later, handed over to Gangyal Police in the presence of Duty Magistrate and SP City South.
They disclosed that similar action against M/s Jagjit Gun Works would be taken within next few days as this unit was also operating without any license from the MHA. This unit was found closed by the team today.
In response to a question, sources said, “the possibility of weapons sold by illegally operating units having been fallen in the hands of anti-social and anti-national elements cannot be ruled out”, adding “with this action a security threat, which these illegally sold weapons could have posed in near future, has been avoided”.
Sources informed that Gun Manufacturing Association Jammu had in 2012 filed two writ petitions No.911 and 944 in the High Court alleging that gun manufacturing License No.1/IX/2010 and No.1/IX/2004 dated November 4, 2004 claimed by M/s Jagjit Gun Works and M/s Himalayan Arms Company Gangyal were nothing but a piece of forgery and don’t entitle them to manufacture guns. Through the writ petitions, the Association had sought directions restraining these firms from carrying on the business under the cover of alleged fake and forged licenses.
On the directions of the High Court, Under Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs submitted that the gun licenses in question were forged and record including the communications from District Magistrate Jammu’s Office to the Ministry of Home Affairs has been fabricated by both the firms, sources informed, adding “the Under Secretary in the presence of counsel for the parties referred to record of Ministry of Home Affairs to point out page by page that license No.1/IX/2010 and No.1/IX/2004 dated November 4, 2004 were not granted by the Ministry in favour of M/s Jagjit Gun Works and M/s Himalayan Arms Company.
Vide its judgement dated January 4, 2013 the High Court declared both these licenses as forged as confirmed by the Ministry of Home Affairs through Under Secretary and directed closure of both the units, sources said, adding “by taking action against M/s Himalayan Arms Company the District Administration has implemented the directions of the High Court. As far as M/s Jagjit Gun Works is concerned, the action will be taken within next few days”.
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