CBI raids senior IAS officer's home in arms and gun license scam in J&K

A team of CBI conducted searches at government accommodation of former deputy commissioner of Srinagar Shahid Choudhary in connection with alleged arms and guns license scam in J&K.

A team of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday conducted searches at the government accommodation of former deputy commissioner of Srinagar Shahid Choudhary in connection with alleged arms and guns license scam in Jammu and Kashmir.

Choudhary, who is currently serving as the Administrative Secretary of Tribal Affairs Department in the Jammu and Kashmir administration confirmed the report of the CBI raid at his residence adding that the investigation agency has found " nothing incriminating in ongoing arms license probe."

"Media friends may note the probe covers 4 years across all districts. I am fully answerable to CBI for my tenure," he said following which he gave the statistics of the arms licences issued in three districts during his tenure.

"Tenure in 3 Districts: Out of 4.49 lakh arms licences issued in Jammu and Kashmir between 2012-16, only 56,000 (12.4 per cent) issued in 3 districts of Reasi, Kathua and Udhampur where I served as DM (District Magistrate)," said Choudhary adding that the figures are not disproportionate.

"Lowest Number: Of the 56K licences issued in 3 districts -Reasi, Kathua and Udhampur -between 2012-16, only 1720 were issued in my tenure -3 per cent of all licences issued in three districts in 4 years or during the period under investigation and 0.38 per cent of all such licences issued in Jammu and Kashmir. The licences issued in 3 districts under my tenure have been among the lowest by any DMs in any district," he added.

CBI on Saturday conducted multiple raids at around 40 locations, including--Jammu, Srinagar, Udhampur, Rajouri, Anantnag, Baramulla, Delhi-- at the official and residential premises of the then public servants (including IAS Officers), in an ongoing probe of a case related to Arms licence scam.

Apart from that, the CBI also conducted raids at around 20 gun houses.

"Searches are being conducted in government accommodations including the premised of Srinagar-based IAS," an agency official said.

Earlier in 2019, the CBI had raided 13 places. The allegation in the case was that from 2012 to 2016, DCs of various districts of Jammu and Kashmir, including Kupwara district, had issued bulk arms licenses for fraudulently and illegally receiving funds.