Follow rules while selling weapons: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Centre to ensure that the mechanism for sale of Non-Service Pattern weapons must be under strict scrutiny and supervision of the competent authority in accord with the provisions of the Arms Act and the rules framed under it, including the Defence Services Regulations, without any exception.

A three-judge Bench of Chief Justice T.S. Thakur and Justices A.M. Kanwilkar and D.Y. Chandrachud gave this direction while disposing of a PIL filed by advocate Arvind Kumar Sharma in 2007, alleging that the licensing authority even in the state of Rajasthan and in particular Sriganganagar district, a border state of India, have reportedly granted Arms Licenses without due verification.

The petitioner raised issues regarding illegal selling of “Prohibited/Non-Service Pattern bore-weapons” obtained by Army personnel through Central Ordinance Depot (COD), Jabalpur, on the basis of the order passed by the allotment committee.

It was alleged that the weapons have been sold to the general public, including to persons with criminal records, in breach of relevant rules and provisions of the Arms Act, 1959.

Writing the judgment Justice Kanwilkar said “Indeed, the issue raised by the petitioner has resulted in unraveling of the irregularities and illegalities committed by the concerned officers. That, however, has now been redressed by the appropriate authority by taking suitable action against the erring Army personnel.”

The Bench said it was satisfied with the reports and the affidavits filed by the respective authorities from time to time in the present proceedings and said suitable action has been taken by the appropriate authority of the state government as well as Central government against officers whose involvement has been noted.