A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Srinagar today remanded two former deputy commissioners (DCs) of Kupwara to 10-day custody of the Central investigating agency.

The CBI had arrested two IAS officers, both formerly posted as district magistrates (DMs), Kupwara, in connection with an illegal arms licence distribution scandal in the then Jammu and Kashmir state on Sunday.

The two arrested are Rajiv Ranjan and , who served as District Magistrate, Kupwara, from 2013-2015 and 2015-2016, respectively.

The accused were today produced before the Special Judge CBI Cases, Srinagar, who remanded them to 10-day custody.

The allegations in the case were that during the period 2012 to 2016, the DCs of various districts of Jammu and Kashmir, including Kupwara district, had fraudulently and illegally issued bulk arms licences to seek monetary consideration.

During investigation to unearth the conspiracy behind the issuance of illegal arms licences, the CBI had arrested a private person on 24.02.2020 on the allegations of working as a conduit of gun dealers and officials of various districts of the then state of Jammu and Kashmir who also indulged in various financial transactions with other co-accused persons, including public servants. Presently, the arrested private person is in the CBI custody up to 05.03.2020.

During further investigation, the alleged role of both DMs of Kupwara surfaced during their tenure at the place.

‘Had Issued Bulk Licences For Money’

The CBI had arrested two IAS officers, both formerly posted as district magistrates (DMs), Kupwara, in connection with an illegal arms licence distribution scandal in the then Jammu and Kashmir state on Sunday.

The allegations in the case were that during the period 2012 to 2016, the DCs of various districts of Jammu and Kashmir, including Kupwara district, had fraudulently and illegally issued bulk arms licences to seek monetary consideration.