Allahabad High Court
Munnawar Ali vs State Of U.P. & 2 Others on 6 March, 2018
Author: Siddhartha Varma
Bench: Siddhartha Varma
HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD Court No. - 25 A.F.R. Case :- WRIT - C No. - 15684 of 2014 Petitioner :- Munnawar Ali Respondent :- State Of U.P. & 2 Others Counsel for Petitioner :- S. Shahnawaz Shah,Lalta Prasad,Prabhat Kumar Singh,Smt. Farida Jamal Counsel for Respondent :- C.S.C. Hon'ble Siddhartha Varma,J.
Initially owing to the pendency of a criminal case being criminal case no. 228 of 1998 under Sections- 307, 323, 504 IPC, the petitioner's firearm licence was sought to be cancelled. However, on 7.2.2000, it was found that there was no necessity to cancel to firearm licence and the proceedings were dropped. However, again in the order 2003, after a show cause notice was issued on 1.2.2003 the petitioner's firearm licence was cancelled on 20.10.2003. Thereafter, the petitioner filed an appeal which was allowed and the matter was remanded back on 28.12.2007 and was sent back to the District Magistrate for a fresh decision. When on 28.12.2007, the District Magistrate again cancelled the firearm licence, the petitioner filed an appeal which was, however, dismissed on 11.11.2013. Hence the instant writ petition.
Learned counsel for the petitioner has submitted that once when it was found that the firearm licence had not to be cancelled as per the order dated 7.2.2000 then there was absolutely no necessity for reviving the proceedings, specially in view of the police report dated 24.5.2006 which was absolutely in his favour.
Learned counsel for the petitioner has submitted that mere pendency of a criminal case did not mean that possession of the firearm with the petitioner would be dangerous for the public peace and tranquility. In this regard learned counsel has cited 2017 (98) ACC 48 : Ram Charan vs. State of U.P. and Ors. and specifically read out paragraph nos. 20 and 24 which are being reproduced here as under:-
"20. A perusal of the impugned order dated 4.2.2009 would show that the licence of the petitioner has been cancelled only on the ground of pendency of a solitary criminal case mentioned in the said order. It is no more res integra that mere pendency of a criminal case or apprehension of abuse of arms is not a sufficient ground for passing of an order of suspension or revocation of licence under Section 17 of the Act.
24. In view of the settled legal position mentioned above, the writ petition is allowed. The order dated 4.2.2009 passed by the District Magistrate, Kaushambi and the order dated 30.11.2013 passed by the Commissioner, Allahabad Mandal, Allahabad are hereby set aside"
Learned counsel for the petitioner also relied upon a Government Order dated 7.2.2018 which has specifically stated that the mere pendency of a criminal case would not require the State Government to the cancel the firearm licence. The Government Order dated 7.2.2018 is being reproduced here as under:-
LihM iksLV@QSDl@bZ&esy la[;k% 1@2018@tu&102&N"iq0&5&2018&408@17 izs"kd]%& Hkxoku Lo:i lfpo mRrj izns'k 'kkluA lsok esa] leLr ftyk eftLVªV] mRrj izns'kA x`g ¼iqfyl½ vuqHkkx&5 y[kuÅ fnukad% 07 Qjojh 2018 fo"k;%& O;fDrxr 'kLr ykblsalks ds vuqKfIr;ksa es ifjorZu&ifjo/kZu] muds fuyEcu ,oa izfrlagj.k ds laca/k es] fn'kk funsZ'kA egksn;] vk;q/k vf/kfu;e] 1959 dh /kkjk &17 es vuqKfIr;ksa es ifjorZu&ifjo/kZu] muds fuyEcu ,oa izfrlagj.k ds laca/k es O;oLFkk nh x;h gSA mijksDr ds vfrfjDr ek0 loksZPp U;k;ky; ,oa ek0 mPp U;k;ky; n~okjk Hkh le;≤ ij rRlEcU/k es foLr`r vkns'k ikfjr fd;s x;s gSA x`g ¼iqfyl½ vuqHkkx&5 ds 'kklukns'k la[;k&271 vkj@N%&iq0&5&91&573@01] fnukad 25-02-1991 n~okjk vkXus;kL= ykblsalksa dk [email protected] o 'kklukns'k la[;k&3017 vkj@N% &iq0&5&99] fnukad 15-05- 1999 n~okjk O;fDrxr 'kL= ykblsalkas dk nq:iz;ksx jksdus ds laca/k es funsZ'k fn;s x;s gSA 2- mDr ds n`f"Vxr eq>s ;g dgus dk funsZ'k gqvk gS fd O;fDRkxr 'kL= ykblslksa ds vuqKfIr;ksa es ifjorZu&ifjo/kZu] muds fuyEcu ,oa izfrlagj.k ds laca/k esa fuEukuqlkj dk;Zokgh lqfuf'pr fd;k tk;& ¼1½ ftyk eftLVªV@ykblsflx izkf/kdkjh fyf[kr vkns'k n~okjk vXus;kL= vuqKfIr dk lqfuf'pr dkykof/k ds fy, fuyfEcr dj ldrk gS ;k vuqKfIr dks izfrlagfjr dj ldrk gSA ¼2½ mijksDr [email protected] rHkh fd;k tk,xk tc ftyk eftLVªV@ykblsflx izkf/kdkjh dks ;g lek/kku gks tk, fd& d½ vuqKfIr/kkjh fdlh fof/k ds varxZr vk;q/k j[kus gsrq izfrf"k) gS ;k fod`rfpRr gS ;k fdUgh vU; dkj.kksa ls vk;q/k vf/kfu;e es vuqKfIr ds v;ksX; gS] vFkok [k½ tc ftyk eftLVªV@ykblsflx izkf/kdkjh yksd'kkafr dh lqj{kk ;k ^yksd{ks=^ ds fy, vuqKfIr dks fuyfEcr ;k izfrlagfjr djus ds ;qfDr;qDr vk/kkj ikrk gS] vko';d le>rk gS vFkok x½ tcfd ;g izek.k gks fd vuqKfIr xyr tkudkjh ds vk/kkj ij izkIr dh xbZ gS] vFkok ?k½ tcfd vuqKfIr dh fdlh 'krZ dk mYya?ku fd;k x;k gS] vFkok M+½ tcfd vuqKfIr /kkjd dks viuk 'kL= ifjnRr djus dk funsZ'k fn;k x;k gks vkSj mlds n~okjk 'kL= dk ifjnku u fd;k x;k gksA ¼3½ vuqKfIr izkf/kdkjh dks vuar le; ds fy, 'kL= vuqKfIr fuyafcr vFkok izfrlagfjr ¼fujLr½ ugha djuh pkfg,A vuqKfIr ds fuyEcu vFkok izfrlagj.k dh vof/k lqfuf'pr gksuh pkfg,A ¼4½ vuqKfIr izkf/kdkjh dks ykblsal fuyafcr vFkok fujLr djus dk vf/kdkj vk;q/k vf/kfu;e dh /kkjk 17 ¼3½ ds varxZr iznRr gS vkSj mDr dk;Zokgh djus ls iwoZ vuqKfIr/kkjh dks lqus tkus dk volj iznku fd;k tkuk vko';d gSA ¼5½ vuqKfIr izkf/kdkjh ekeys ds rF;ksa vkSj ifjfLFkfr;ksa ij fopkj djrs gq, ;fn ;g mfpr ikrs gSa fd izdj.k esa rkRdkfyd izHkko ls vk;q/k vuqKfIr dk vuqKfIr izkf/kdkjh n~okjk ifjnku fd;k tkuk vko';d gS rks ,slk djus dk vkns'k vfHkfyf[kr fd;k tk;sA ¼6½ ek= fdlh vkijkf/kd ekeys dk yfEcr jguk 'kL= vuqKfIr fujLr@fuyfEcr djus dk i;kZIr vk/kkj ugha gSA ;gkW ;g Hkh Li"V djuk lehphu gS fd ek= ,d vkijkf/kd izdj.k ds yfEcr gksus ds vk/kkj ij Hkh fof'k"V ekeyksa esa vk;q/k vuqKfIr dks fuyafcr@fujLr fd;k tk ldrk gS] ijarq vuqKfIr izkf/kdkjh dks ,slk djus ds i;kZIr vk/kkj vius vkns'k esa vfHkfyf[kr fd;s tk;A ;g Hkh vko';d gS fd ,sls vk/kkj vfHkfyf[kr djrs le; ;g Li"V mfYyf[kr fd;k tk; fd vuqKfIr izkf/kdkjh dks lek/kku gks x;k fd iz'uxr vkijkf/kd izdj.k dh izd`fr ,slh gS fd og vketu vkSj lekt dh yksd'kkafr ,oa yksd+{kse ds izfrdwy gS vkSj ;fn vuqKfIr/kkjh dks vuqKfIr j[kus nh xbZ rks yksd'kkafr o yksd{kse ij izfrdwy izHkko iM+sxkA ¼7½ ;fn fdlh 'kL= vuqKfIr ds fuyacu ;k izfrlagj.k dh dk;Zokgh vkijkf/kd okn ds vk/kkj ij dh xbZ gSa rks ;fn mDr vkijkf/kd vfHk;ksx] nks"keqfDr esa ifjofrZr gks tkrk gSa rks 'kL= fuyEcu@fujL=hdj.k ds vkns'k dk vkSfpR; Hkh lekIr gks tkrk gS] ijarq ;fn mDr vfHk;skx jkT; n~okjk vihy ;ksX; ik;k tk, ,oa mDr izdj.k dh vihy dh tk, rks jkT; dks mDr nks"keqfDr ds vkns'k dh vihy ds fu.kZ; rd vuqKfIr/kkjh dh 'kL= vuqKfIr fuyafcr@izfrlagfjr jg ldrh gSA vr% ,sls izdj.k tgkW ftyk eftLVsªV ds le{k nks"keqfDr ds vfHkdFku n~okjk vius 'kL= vuqKfIr fuyacu@fujL=hdj.k dh dk;Zokgh dks vikLr djus dh izkFkZuk dh tk,] ogkW ftyk eftLVsªV ;g tkudkjh djuk lqfuf'pr djsaxs fd izdj.k esa dksbZ jkT; vihy ;ksftr@izLrkfor rks ugha dh xbZ gSa\ rFkk mlds mijkUr gh fdlh fu.kZ; ij igqpsaxsA ¼8½ tgkW ij vuqKfIr izkf/kdkjh n~okjk ;g lek/kku fd;k tk jgk gS fd vuqKfIr/kkjh dk d`R; yksd'kkafr vkSj yksd{kse ds izfrdwy gS rks bldk rkRi;Z dkuwu O;oLFkk fcxM+us dh lkekU; ifjfLFkfr;kas ls ugha le>k tk,xk] vfirq yksd'kkafr vkSj yksd{kse izHkkfor gksuk rFkk lekt ij O;kid vlj ls rkRif;Zr gSA ¼9½ 'kL= fujL=hdj.k dh dk;Zokgh yfEcr jgus vFkok dksbZ vkijkf/kd fopkj.k yfEcr jgus ds nkSjku vuqKfIr/kkjh 'kL= j[kus ds fy, vf/kdkj Lo:i ekWx ugha dj ldrk gSa D;ksafd 'kL= vuqKfIr ,d vf/kdkj ugha ek= ,d lqfo/kk gSA ¼10½ vuqKfIr izkf/kdkjh@ftyk eftLVsªV vius rkfRod lek/kku ds fy, iqfyl] vfHk;kstu ,oa vU; ,tsafl;ksa ls vk[;k vkgwr dj ldrk gSA blds lkFk gh ftyk eftLVsªV n~okjk izdj.k ls lacaf/kr lHkh lqlaxr vfHkys[k ij fopkj djus rFkk vuqKfIr/kkjh dh ikfjokfjd i`"BHkwfe] mlds iwoZ vkijkf/kd d`R; vkSj mldk vkijkf/kd bfrgkl dks fopkj esa ysus ds mijkar gh leqfpr vkns'k ikfjr fd;k tk;A ¼11½ vuqKfIr izkf/kdkjh@ftyk eftLVsªV vk;q/k vf/kfu;e dh /kkjk 17 ds mica/kksa ds varxZr ;g lek/kku gksus ij fd dksbZ vuqKfIr/kkjh fdlh xaHkhj vijk/k esa lfEefyr gksus] nks"kfl) gksus ;k fdlh vU; vkuq'kkafxd dkj.k] ftls oks rkfRod :i ls mfpr ikrk gks] ds vk/kkj ij vuqKfIrdkjh dks vuqKfIr /kkj.k djus ds fy, v;ksX; O;fDr dh Js.kh esa ikrk gS rks og 'kL= vuqKfIr dks fuyafcr@izfrlagfjr dj ldrk gSA ¼12½ vXus;kL=ksa ds ykblsal lqj{kk dh n`f"V ls Lohd`r fd;s tkrs gSaA budk iz;ksx 'kknh&fookg vFkok lkoZtfud Lfkkuksa ij izn'kZu ugha fd;k tkuk pkfg,A ,slk fd;s tkus ls turk esa Hk; dk okrkoj.k O;kIr gksrk gSA tks O;fDr 'kL=ksa dk iz;ksx izn'kZu gsrq vFkok turk esa Hk; O;kIr djrs gq, ik, tk,W] muds 'kL= ykblsal dh 'krZ la[;k 5 dk mYya?ku djus ds vkjksi esa ,oa 'kL= vf/kfu;e dh /kkjk 17 ¼3½ ¼[k½] ¼?k½] ¼M+½ ds v/khu rRdky fujLr djrs gq, fof/kd dk;Zokgh dh tk ldrh gSA ¼13½ ;fn ykblsaflax vf/kdkjh ds le{k lkexzh gS vkSj mUgsa ;g Li"V gks tkrk gS fd ykblsalh ds ikl 'kL= jgus ls 'kkafr ,oa tulqj{kk [krjs esa iM+ ldrh gS] rks og ¼ykblsaflax vf/kdkjh½ mDr rF;ksa dks vfHkfyf[kr djus ds mijkar lh/ks vFkok fdlh tkWp vFkok ykblsalh dh lquokbZ dk volj fn;s fcuk ykblsal fuyfEcr@fujLr dj ldrs gSa] ijarq mu ekeyksa esa ftuesa ykblsaflax vf/kdkjh dks ;g Li"V gS fd ykblsalh ds ikl 'kL= jgus ls tu'kkfUr ;k tulqj{kk [krjs esa iM+ ldrh gS vkSj lgh fLFkr dh tkudkjh gsrq tkWp yafcr gks rks ,slh tkWp ds nkSjku ykblsal fujLr ugha fd;k tk ldrk gSA ¼14½ vk;q/k vf/kfu;e dh /kkjk 17 ds varxZr fdlh dk;Zokgh dks izpfyr djus ls igys ftyk eftLVsªV@vuqKfIr izkf/kdkjh ds fy, ;g vko';d gS fd og vius le{k izLrqr i=koyh ij vuqKfIr/kkjh dh 'kL= vuqHkkx ls ewy i=koyh esa layXu 'kL= vkosnu] 'kiFki=] vk[;k ,oa lqlaxr nLrkostksa dk lw{e v/;;u dj ysa] rkfd ;g lqfuf'pr fd;k tk lds fd vuqKfIr/kkjh n~okjk xyr rF;ksa ds vk/kkj ij 'kL= vkosnu rks ugha fd;k x;k gS ;k fdlh 'krZ dk mYya?ku rks ugha fd;k x;k gS\ ¼15½ mijksDr funsZ'kksa ds vfrfjDr vk;q/k vf/kfu;e&1959] vk;q/k fu;ekoyh&2016 le;≤ ij ekuuh; loksZPp U;k;ky; ,oa ekuuh; mPp U;k;ky; bykgkckn n~okjk ikfjr vkns'kksa] Hkkjr ljdkj ,oa jkT; ljdkj n~okjk le;≤ ij fuxZr funsZ'kksa dk Hkh lE;d vuqikyu fd;k tk, ,oa ;fn mDr dk vuqKfIr/kkjh n~okjk mYya?ku ik;k tkrk gS rks mlds 'kL+= vuqKfIr ds [email protected] dh fof/k lEer dk;Zokgh lqfuf'pr dh tk;A 3- bl laca/k esa ek0 U;k;ky; n~okjk fuEufyf[kr oknksa ¼1½ lh0ih0 lkgw cuke mRrj izns'k jkT; 1984 ,0MCyw0lh0 145]¼2½ dSyk'k ukFk cuke mRrj izns'k jkT; 1985 ,0MCyw0lh0 493] ¼3½ gjizlkn cuke mRrj izns'k jkT; 2005 ¼5½ ,0MCyw0lh0 4939 rFkk ¼4½ us'kuy dSfiVy VsfjVjh vkWQ Msygh cuke mes'k dqekj 2008 ¼3½ ,l0lh0lh0 fdzfeuy 490 esa ikfjr fu.kZ;ksa dk lE;d~ voyksdu djus ds mijkUr mesa fn;s x;s funsZ'kksa dk ikyu djrs gq, gh dksbZ fu.kZ; fy;k tk,A 4- d`i;k mDr funsZ'kksa dk dM+kbZ ls vuqikyu lqfuf'pr fd;k tk,A".
In reply learned Standing Counsel has submitted that when there was a criminal case pending against the petitioner it was only very proper that the petitioner may not be entrusted with a firearm. He submits that the trial is going on since 1998 but because of the fact that the petitioner is not interested in the trial, the trial could not be concluded.
Having heard the learned counsel for the parties, I am of the view that mere pendency of a criminal case could not be a ground to cancel the licence to carry a firearm. The Collector ought to have arrived at a definite finding that the possession of a firearm licence would endanger public peace and tranquillity.
The order dated 28.12.2007 and 11.11.2013 passed by respondents no. 3 and 2 respectively are set aside and the writ petition is allowed.
However, the allowing of the writ petition would not mean that the petitioner's licence would automatically get restored. The firearm licence would be granted to the petitioner if he applies for one afresh and is found eligible under Arms Rules of 2016. The exercise of granting the licence would be completed within a period of one month of the date of production of a certified copy of this order.
Order Date :- 6.3.2018 praveen.