Two months after granting prosecution sanction against Jammu and Kashmir Revenue Secretary Kumar Rajeev Ranjan for alleged irregularities in arms licences, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has now directed the Union Territory administration to submit comprehensive proposals for similar action against three other officers—Ms. Yasha Mudgal (2007-batch IAS officer), Mr. Shahid Iqbal Choudhary (2009-batch IAS officer), and Mr. Neeraj Kumar (2010-batch IAS officer).
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In a letter dated February 21, 2025, Mr. C.P. Vinod Kumar, Undersecretary in the MHA, informed the J&K Chief Secretary that the previous recommendations were incomplete, as they lacked key enclosures, including letters from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), DVDs, and a legal opinion from the J&K Law Department.
These officers are among 16 former District Magistrates (13 IAS and three KAS officers) accused of issuing lakhs of allegedly illegal gun licences across India between 2012 and 2016, when J&K was still a state.
MHA’s Directive for Complete Documentation
The MHA has instructed the J&K administration to submit the proposals within a week, ensuring they include all essential documents such as:
- Authenticated copies of FIRs
- Witness statements
- Investigation reports
- Recovery memos
- Disclosure statements
- Draft sanction orders
- Written defence statements of the accused officers
- Remarks from the investigating officer
Current Positions of the Accused Officers
- Ms. Yasha Mudgal – Commissioner-Secretary, Tourism Department
- Mr. Shahid Iqbal Choudhary – Currently on leave
- Mr. Neeraj Kumar – Administrative Secretary, Transport Department
The J&K Arms Licence Scam
The CBI is investigating alleged irregularities in the issuance of over 2.74 lakh gun licences between 2012 and 2016. The scam, estimated to exceed Rs. 100 crore, involves allegations that district magistrates, deputy commissioners, and licensing authorities issued gun permits to ineligible individuals in exchange for monetary benefits.
In October 2024, the CBI informed the court that it was still awaiting prosecution sanction against all 16 former district magistrates involved in the case.
High Court Questions “Selective Prosecution”
On November 25, 2024, the J&K and Ladakh High Court Division Bench, led by Chief Justice Tashi Rabstan and Justice M.A. Chowdhary, expressed dissatisfaction over what it termed “selective prosecution”, noting that while the CBI had completed its investigation, the MHA had yet to approve prosecution for several officers.
During a hearing on December 27, 2024, the J&K General Administration Department (GAD) informed the court that it had forwarded its views on the three officers to the MHA and was awaiting a final decision.
Last year, Mr. Kumar Rajeev Ranjan (2010-batch IAS officer) became the first IAS officer to face prosecution in the case after the central government granted the CBI permission to proceed against him. He also holds additional charges of the Revenue and Skill Development departments.
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