CBI REGISTERES FOUR CASES AGAINST THEN OFFICIALS OF RIFLE ASSOCIATIONS IN KERALA & OTHERS RELATING TO ALLEGED MISAPPROPRIATION OF AMMUNITIONS

The Central Bureau of Investigation has registered four cases on the orders of Kerala High Court in WP(C) No.35696 /2015 against certain then officials of Rifle Association in Kerala & others on the allegations of illegal procurement of ammunitions & its misuse and others.

In the first case, it has been alleged that unknown accused persons had registered an association in the name of Kerala State Rifle Association on 31.7.2008 by using forged documents at the Aalapuzha Registrar Office.

In the second case, it has been alleged that the accused while holding the position as then Secretary of Kottayam District Rifle Association from 8.6.2009 to 25.02.2013 had not maintained proper records for the purchase of ammunitions for the Association and its utilization. There were lot of alleged discrepancies in the procurement and use of the ammunitions as per the records maintained by the accused, disclosing therein that he had caused loss/misappropriation of ammunitions to the tune of 1.5 lakh(approx) rounds.

In the third case, it has been alleged that the accused while working as then Secretary of Kerala State Rifle Association had violated the provisions of Arms Act 1959 by having in possession of a large number of prohibited ammunitions of different caliber which was part of the ammunition procured by Kerala State Rifle Association from National Rifle Association for shooting practice and shooting competition of the teams participating in the recently concluded National Games.

In the fourth case, it has been alleged that the accused while working as then Secretary of Palakkad District Rifle Association on 19.08.2015 had procured 11500 rounds of ammunitions as loan from then Secretary of Kerala State Rifle Association and the said ammunitions were later on returned by the accused. It was further alleged that there were no authentication for the said transactions as KSRA was not having Arms license & were not allowed to possess ammunitions and as such they could not lend ammunitions to the accused.

CBI took over the investigation of the said cases which were earlier registered by Kerala Police under relevant sections of Arms Act and IPC.

Further investigation is continuing.