Jammu:— In a major development in the Jammu & Kashmir arms licence scam, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) informed the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court that it is likely to take a final decision within six weeks on granting sanction for prosecution against several IAS and KAS officers accused in the case.
The update came during the hearing of the case Sheikh Mohd. Shafi and Another vs Union of India, before a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice N. Kotiswar Singh (Acting) and Justice Rajnesh Oswal. Deputy Solicitor General of India (DSGI) Vishal Sharma submitted a status report dated July 10, 2025, on behalf of the MHA, outlining the current status of the sanction process.
Background: Large-Scale Irregularities in Arms Licensing
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is probing the scam, has alleged that over 2.74 lakh arms licences were issued illegally between 2012 and 2016 in exchange for bribes, when Jammu & Kashmir was still a state. The fraudulent licences were reportedly issued to non-residents and individuals without verification, often in bulk.
The alleged scam involves at least 16 former District Magistrates, including 13 IAS and 3 KAS officers, who are accused of bypassing mandatory protocols while issuing arms licences across various districts.
Status of Prosecution Sanctions
DSGI Sharma informed the court that the MHA has now received three separate communications from the CBI and the J&K Administration, including the required documentation such as:
- CBI’s formal recommendations
- Investigation summaries
- Draft sanction orders
- Legal opinions from the Union Territory’s Law Department
These were submitted in compliance with the Court’s earlier order dated April 24, 2025, which had directed the authorities to address deficiencies in prior sanction proposals.
While the materials are under examination, Sharma assured the Court that, “in every likelihood,” a final decision from the MHA would not take more than six weeks. He further committed to filing a formal affidavit or updated status report confirming the Ministry’s stance.
Court Proceedings
The Division Bench questioned the Centre on the prolonged delay and sought a clear timeline for action. The Court emphasized the importance of accountability, especially when senior bureaucrats are involved.
Advocates S.S. Ahmed, Supriya Chouhan, Rahul Raina, M. Zulker Nain Chowdhary, and Kias Alam appeared for the petitioners. Vishal Sharma (DSGI) represented the Union of India, while Senior Additional Advocate General (Sr. AAG) Mohsin Qadri and Advocate Ahtsham Hussain Bhat appeared for the UT Administration.
Previous Court Remarks
The High Court has, in previous hearings, expressed serious concern over delays in granting prosecution sanction. In one earlier hearing, the Court criticized the J&K administration for promoting one of the accused IAS officers, questioning whether there was a “dearth of honest officers” in the Union Territory.
It also reprimanded both the UT administration and the MHA for sending and receiving incomplete or inconsistent proposals, further stalling progress in a matter of significant public concern.
What’s Next?
The case will now await the MHA’s final decision within the next six weeks. Once sanction is granted (if at all), the CBI can move ahead with prosecution in the designated trial courts. The High Court is expected to take up the matter again based on the next status report.
