J&K Fake Gun Licence Case: High Court Orders SIT to Probe Two More FIRs

Jammu, July 16 – The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has rejected pleas seeking to quash additional FIRs in the fake gun licence case and has extended the scope of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to cover two more cases filed in Rajouri district over the past decade.

While dismissing the petitions, the court ruled that its decision does not prevent the government from transferring the investigation to a specialised agency like the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) or the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The case originated in 2011, when an FIR was filed at Janipur police station in Jammu after two individuals were caught with 12-bore guns, and their licenses—issued by the SDM of Mendhar—were found to contain addresses from Kupwara, Kathua, and Budhal. An SIT investigation revealed that fake licenses were being issued from the offices of the Additional District Magistrate, Rajouri, and the SDM, Mendhar.

As a result, two dockets—one concerning 216 licenses and another with 179—led to separate FIRs being filed in Rajouri and Mendhar, respectively. Further FIRs were later registered in Kandi (2012) and Thanamandi (2015) in Rajouri district.

Several accused, including government officials, had petitioned the court to dismiss these FIRs, claiming that the matter was already under investigation through the original Janipur FIR.

However, on July 11, Justice Rajnesh Oswal ruled there was no basis to quash the additional FIRs, agreeing with Senior Additional Advocate General Monika Kohli, who strongly opposed the petitions.

The court directed the Inspector General of Police, Jammu Zone, to hand over the investigations of the Thanamandi and Kandi FIRs to the existing SIT, already handling the Janipur case. The IGP has also been instructed to oversee the SIT’s work and ensure a swift and lawful conclusion to the probe.