Arms licenses scam
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 15: A Division Bench of High Court of J&K & Ladakh comprising the Chief Justice N Kotiswar Singh and Justice M A Chowdhary, while hearing much publicized Public Interest Litigation (PIL) highlighting infamous arms licenses scam, expressed its deep anguish and displeasure over the non-representation of UT Administration and Union of India as their counsels were not present when the matter was taken up for hearing by the Division Bench.
“Due to non-representation this court is unable to pass any order”, the DB said.
Advocate Rahul Raina appearing for the petitioners submitted that this PIL is of wide public importance and the UT Administration is shielding the officers allegedly involved in arms licenses scam and is sitting over the prosecution sanction files deliberately for the last more than two years.
“The administration has also posted the tainted bureaucrats on prime positions whereas prosecution sanction was granted against JKAS officers way back in the year 2021 and several challans have been filed in the CBI Special Courts in UT of J&K”, he added.
Advocate Raina further submitted that petitioners in December 2023 filed a fresh application seeking impleadment of CBI which is investigating both the FIRs pertaining to arms licenses scam but no response has been filed either by the UT Administration or by the Union of India.
At this stage, the Division Bench headed by the Chief Justice N Kotiswar Singh, in the open court, observed, “this court is unable to pass any order in absence of the counsel for UT Administration/UoI”.
While parting with this order, the Division Bench directed the Registry that copy of this order be sent to the concerned Ministries of the Union of India and also to the UT Administration for necessary action.
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