In a significant development, Central Bureau of India (CBI) will prosecute the IAS officer Kumar Rajeev Ranjan for allegedly issuing Arms license in J&K.

The CBI has been given a go ahead signal by the Government of India (GoI) to prosecute the IAS officer, who has been sanctioned for anti-graft offences. The Deputy Solicitor General of India Vishal Sharma has been conveyed by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions conveyed that a sanction has been accorded for the prosecution of Rajiv Ranjan in a case registered by the CBI in 2018.

“I am directed to refer to your email on December 23 of 2024 on teh subject and to say that  and order, conveying grant of sanction for prosecution against Kumar Rajiv Ranjan in CBI  RCCHG051201850007 under section 6 of prevention of corruption Act 2006, for alleged offences under section 5(2) of PC Act 2006 has been already issued on November 28 of 2024 with the approval of competent authority,” reads an official communication issued by Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions, department of Personnel and trainings. The official communication has been addressed to Deputy Solicitor General of India Vishal Sharma.

As earlier reported, the CBI has been investigating a massive scam involving the issuance of over 2.74 lakh gun licences in J&K from 2012 to 2016.

It is said that during this period, the Deputy Commissioners granted these Arms licences allegedly in exchange for bribes.

As already reported, the CBI is investigating the involvement of several to rank officials, including IAS officers, in the Gun license case.

The districts where the case is being investigated include Kupwara, Baramulla, Udhampur, Pulwama, Shopian, Doda, Rajouri and Kishtwar.

The scam was first unearthed by in 2017 by the Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) of Rajasthan police and till date several arrests have been made as well.