Arms license scam Countdown begins as home ministry seeks 2 months to take final call on prosecution of 8 ‘Babus’

JAMMU, April 27:
It seems the final countdown has started and the time may run out for the eight IAS officer in Jammu and Kashmir, who were allegedly involved in the infamous arms licenses scam.
While the CBI has already sought prosecution sanction of 8 IAS officers, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), in its latest Affidavit dated April 7, has requested the High Court of J&K and Ladakh to grant a period of two months to complete the process with a view to place the final decision before the Division Bench of the High Court of J&K and Ladakh.
In an Affidavit filed by Rakesh Kumar Singh, Under Secretary to government of India, MHA, filed through CGSC Eishaan Dadhichi, it has been submitted that pursuant to the directions of the court, the matter regarding grant of sanction for prosecution against the eight IAS officers has been actively examined at multiple levels in the MHA in consultation with the concerned stakeholders, including the government of J&K and the CBI and in this context, a meeting was held with the CBI on March 8, 2026 to seek certain clarifications regarding the issuance of arms licenses.
The requisite clarifications have since been obtained from the CBI and the matter has now reached the final stage of examination. The remaining process involves final evaluation of the records for taking a decision at the level of the competent authority.
In the Affidavit, it is further submitted that MHA undertakes to make all earnest efforts to finalize the matter within the aforesaid period and no further extension shall be sought and the final outcome shall be placed before the High Court and lastly, the MHA has prayed for a period of two months to complete the process with a view to place the final decision before the High Court.
The IAS officers are P K Pole (AGMUT:2004) the then DM, Udhampur; M Raju (AGMUT:2005) the then DM, Kargil; Yasha Mudgal (AGMUT:2007) the then DM, Udhampur and then DM, Baramulla; Jitendra Kumar Singh (JH:2008) the then DM, Kathua and then DM, Rajouri; Dr. Shahid Iqbal Choudhary (AGMUT:2009) the then DM, Udhampur; Niraj Kumar (AGMUT:2010) the then DM, Udhampur and then DM Pulwama; Prasanna Ramaswamy G (AGMUT:2010) the then ADM Kathua and then DM, Leh and Ramesh Kumar (AGMUT:2011) the then DM, Kathua.
On December 31, 2024, CBI in its report, had revealed that during the period between 2012 to 2016 approximately 1.53 lakh arms licenses were issued in 10 districts of Jammu division and approximately 1.21 lakh in 12 districts of the then Kashmir division, allegedly for monetary gains by the district magistrates.
It may be stated here that the CBI has sought prosecution sanction against eight IAS officers, allegedly involved in the infamous arms license scam.
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