The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is actively reviewing the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) request to prosecute eight IAS officers allegedly involved in a multi-crore gun licence scam in Jammu and Kashmir. The development came before a division bench of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court comprising Chief Justice Mr. Arun Palli and Justice Mr. Rajnesh Oswal. Deputy Solicitor General of India Mr. Vishal Sharma informed the bench that clarifications sought by the Ministry from both the J&K government and the CBI had been received on September 26 and October 14, respectively.
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Court Proceedings and Adjournment
The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) titled ‘Mohd Shafi & Anr. V/s Union of India & Ors’ was heard on Thursday, with the bench adjourning the matter to December 30 to allow the MHA sufficient time for consideration. Mr. Sharma emphasized that a formal decision on prosecution sanction is expected in the immediate future, highlighting the careful bureaucratic review before any action against high-ranking civil servants.
The Officers Under Consideration
The eight IAS officers whose prosecution sanction is under review are Mr. P K Pole, Mr. M Raju, Ms. Yasha Mudgal, Mr. Jitendra Kumar Singh, Dr. Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, Mr. Niraj Kumar, Mr. Prasanna Ramaswamy G, and Mr. Ramesh Kumar. These officers had issued gun licences during their tenure as District Magistrates across Kathua, Udhampur, Rajouri, Baramulla, Pulwama, Kargil, and Leh between 2012 and 2016.
Background of the Scam
The CBI is investigating irregularities in the issuance of over 2.74 lakh gun licences between 2012 and 2016 when J&K was still a state. Allegedly, licences were issued for monetary gains to personnel who were neither residents of the districts nor posted there at the time. The scam is estimated to involve over Rs. 100 crore. While the prosecution of lower-level officers including JKAS personnel, judicial clerks, middlemen, and dealers has already been sanctioned, sanction for IAS officers is mandatory under the Prevention of Corruption Act before they can be charged.
Next Steps in Administrative and Legal Oversight
The MHA’s careful review of the prosecution request underscores the delicate balance between ensuring accountability in high-profile bureaucratic roles and maintaining procedural fairness. A decision is expected soon, reflecting the government’s commitment to uphold legal and administrative transparency while addressing large-scale governance irregularities in Jammu and Kashmir.
