Hyderabad: The commissioner’s task force on Thursday arrested seven persons for allegedly running a fake arms license racket. The perpetrators are said to have procured real arms through the fake license.
The primary accused in the case was identified as Altaf Hussain, a native Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir. He came to Hyderabad in 2013. Hussain was employed at Grace Management Security Service. Later he was deployed as Gunman in SIS cash service, West Marredpally.
Prior to his employment in the city, he purchased a double-barrel gun using a fake arms licence in Rajouri which he had obtained by bribing the local magistrate’s office.
As he was familiar with the process and licence details he teamed up with Hafeezuddin, a stamp vendor in Secunderabad, and began issuing fake gun licenses by indulging in forgery and affixing fake seals. These fake documents have been used to procure real arms.
Further, he began issuing fake arms licenses and trapped unemployed youth residing in Jammu and Kashmir who tried to make a living as security guards in private security firms. Using the fake All India Licenses, weapons were procured from other states by these gullible candidates for Rs 40,000 to 60, 000.
“This infringement has taken place with the connivance of the Regional Manager at Grace Management Security Services Venkata Konda Reddy, and the xerox shop owner in West Marredpally, Srinivas. The accused used to collect Rs 20,000 from each unemployed youngster and later deployed them in various private security agencies, a serious lapse in the functioning of security firms,” said Hyderabad police commissioner CV Anand.
Asian Security Services, Nandamuri security & Services, and Grace Management security services engaged security guards, who were in possession of illicit weapons, and deployed them to their clientele which includes VVIPs, jewellery showrooms, agencies engaged for carrying ATM cash and personal security guards.
The West Zone task force investigated and busted the racket. The accused have been booked under charges of cheating, forgery, making counterfeit seals, criminal conspiracy and illegal possession of arms. The police seized a sizeable cache of arms and ammunition including 30 single barrell weapons, 3 double-bare weapons, one revolver, 140 rounds, 34 fake weapon license books, 29 unused weapons license books, 9 weapon licences which were affixed with fake stamps, 6 rubber stamps and one unsigned NOC.
“The power of issuing arms licenses and renewals is vested with police. This is illegal and a serious threat to public safety. Private security firms must adhere to the Private Security Agency Regulation Act (PSARA) under which the operation of private security agencies is governed. A private security agency cannot hire a guard with a firearms licence and they should also submit an undertaking to this effect. If banks, ATMs, business establishments etc want armed guards, they can apply for an arms license and then hire the armed guards as retainers from the security services,” said the top brass. “We have also alerted other commissionerates and district collectors,“ Anand added.
Anand further said that they will conduct a meeting with all private security agencies and urged them to voluntarily disclose the weapons in their possession. City police is thinking over the issuance of retainer licences to private security firms who deploy their guards to commercial establishments, ATMs and other firms.
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