MAJOR SINGH Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB AND OTHERS

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner is the Government Contractor who had applied for renewal of his arms license No. 292/DM/PS Bareta on 11.12.2012. The District Magistrate called for the report from the Senior Superintendent of Police, Mansa, who did not recommend the renewal of his arm license. Accordingly, the District Magistrate dismissed the application and directed the petitioner to dispose off his registered weapon .32 bore revolver No.C-2733 within a period of six months with the intimation to his office. The order dated 08.08.2013 passed by the District Magistrate was challenged by way of an appeal filed under section 18 of the Arms Act, 1959 before the Commissioner, Faridkot Division, Faridkot. The said appeal was allowed on 15.10.2014 and the matter was remanded back to the District Magistrate because it was found that the petitioner has been acquitted in all the criminal cases registered against him. After the remand, the District Magistrate again dismissed the application of the petitioner on 06.05.2015, giving reference to the following criminal cases:-

(2.) The petitioner again filed appeal against the order dated 06.05.2015 before the Divisional Commissioner, who relied upon the report of the Senior Superintendent of Police dated 27.05.2015 that it would be in the public interest to renew arms license of the petitioner.

(3.) Counsel for the petitioner has submitted that the petitioner has been acquitted in all the criminal cases and no other case is pending against him. He has also relied upon an order passed by this Court in the case of Sukhpal Singh v. State of Punjab and others, CWP No. 1910 of 2014, decided on 26.02.2016 .