Kerala High Court directs CBI to probe misuse of arms by KSRA

Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Friday directed the CBI to take over the investigation into the cases relating to misuse of arms and ammunition by the Kerala State Rifle Association.

Justice B. Kemal Pasha issued the directive while considering a plea for a CBI probe filed by the Kollam District Rifle Association.

The court observed that the investigation launched by the police into the three crimes registered in Alappuzha, Kottayam and Palakkad police stations were not moving in the right direction. In the case of misuse of ammunition, it might ultimately even reach the hands of terrorists which would militate against the interest of the nation at large, the court said.

Considering the magnitude of the crime as well as national importance, the safety and security of the nation at large, the investigation into the mater “has to be handed over to the CBI.” The court observed.

The petitioner alleged large scale corruption in the dealing of arms and ammunition by the office bearers of the Kerala State Rifle Association and office bearers of the Kottayam and Palakkad District Rifle Associations.

According to the petitioners, the Palakkad District Rifle Association had misused 2,000 rounds of ammunition from 10,000 rounds of ammunition originally supplied by the National Rifle Association while out of 1,29,000 rounds of ammunition purchased by the Kottayam Rifle Association,  there were no records about the person to whom up to 1,10,000 rounds of ammunition had been sold.