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Weapons seized from arms smugglers to be sold at market price: HC
New Delhi, Dec 12: Taking note of the sale of weapons seized by the customs department from smugglers to VIPs at throw away price by the government, the Delhi High Court today ruled that all confiscated arms would be sold at its market rate.
New Delhi, Dec 12: Taking note of the sale of weapons seized by the customs department from smugglers to VIPs at throw away price by the government, the Delhi High Court today ruled that all confiscated arms would be sold at its market rate.
Seeking details as to how many of the confiscated weapons were being supplied to the personnel of coast guards, customs and others such departments who should get them on priority as
per the policy, a bench comprising Justice Anil Dev Singh and Justice R S Sodhi said Centre should submit an affidavit in this regard by February 13.
The court told government counsel S S Gandhi that the affidavit should contain details of the requirement of the weapons by these departments and those actually supplied to them. The direction was issued during the hearing of a petition by former Union minister Maneka Gandhi's organisation People For Animals (PFA) alleging that various types of prohibited bore weapons seized by the customs department had been sold to VIPs since 1987 at throw away prices, which was contrary to Centre's policy and the Arms Act. PFA counsel Raj Panjwani said scrutiny of the list of people to whom the weapons were sold and which had been placed before the court by the revenue department, would suggest that instead of supplying confiscated weapons to personnel of these department as per the policy laid down in 1987, these were being supplied on priority to the VIPs. The list of 658 VIPs contained names of several central ministers and chief ministers among the beneficiaries of the weapons which included Welby, Smith and Wesson, Aminious, Walter, Erma and Bemolta pistols and revolvers and rifles of prohibited bore.
Bureau Report
The court told government counsel S S Gandhi that the affidavit should contain details of the requirement of the weapons by these departments and those actually supplied to them. The direction was issued during the hearing of a petition by former Union minister Maneka Gandhi's organisation People For Animals (PFA) alleging that various types of prohibited bore weapons seized by the customs department had been sold to VIPs since 1987 at throw away prices, which was contrary to Centre's policy and the Arms Act. PFA counsel Raj Panjwani said scrutiny of the list of people to whom the weapons were sold and which had been placed before the court by the revenue department, would suggest that instead of supplying confiscated weapons to personnel of these department as per the policy laid down in 1987, these were being supplied on priority to the VIPs. The list of 658 VIPs contained names of several central ministers and chief ministers among the beneficiaries of the weapons which included Welby, Smith and Wesson, Aminious, Walter, Erma and Bemolta pistols and revolvers and rifles of prohibited bore.
Bureau Report