HARMANJEET SINGH Vs. STATE NCT OF DELHI

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The present petition has been filed by petitioner under Sec. 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, seeking quashing of the FIR No. 156/2024 dtd. 23/2/2024, registered at PS IGI Airport under Sec. 25 of the Arms Act, 1959 and all proceedings emanating therefrom. Factual Background

(2.) Briefly stated, the facts as per the allegations in the FIR are that on 22/2/2024, while petitioner who is a citizen of USA, was travelling from Delhi to New York by American Flight No. AA-293, was found in possession of 9 ammunitions (.32") in his check-in-baggage during baggage screening at IGI Airport and upon questioning petitioner was not in possession of any valid documents for carriage of the abovementioned ammunitions. Thereafter on complaint of Associate, Dial Security, IGI Airport, Terminal 3, New Delhi, the FIR in the present case was registered.

(3.) The Ld. Counsel for the petitioner submits that petitioner is a US citizen and works in US Army and had come to India to attend the marriage of his cousin at Patiala, Punjab in February, 2024. After attending the marriage the petitioner was scheduled to leave from India on 22/2/2024 along with his family, while his father had a flight for USA after 10 days. His father asked him to carry his extra luggage with him. The father of the petitioner forgot to remove the live cartridges lying in the bag and handed over the bag to the petitioner which were detected at the airport during the security check.