Hyderabad: AIMIM’s star campaigner Akbaruddin Owaisi has not just inherited properties, but also licensed arms from his ancestors.
The second in command of the kite party, owns a 0.22 pistol, and 30-06 rifle, both family heirlooms. He also owns a 12 bore DBBL gun purchased in 2016.
Following police orders, around 9,696 licensed arms have been deposited with the Telangana state law and order department before the elections. An analysis of affidavits of various candidates revealed that many recent and former MLAs and contesting candidates own firearms, a majority of them from the AIMIM.
The Majilis candidate from Bahadurpura, Mohammed Moazam Khan, owns a 0.32 revolver, 0.315 rifle and a 12-bore gun.
The Congress’s A. Revanth Reddy, a rebel candidate contesting from Kodangal Assembly constituency, owns a pistol and a rifle. Candidates owning arms are facing the most number of criminal cases, some serious in nature.
Since the election code came into effect, contesting candidates were told to submit their licensed arms. Raids however proved that illegal and unlicensed arms have been brought into the state. On the evening of Diwali, Hyderabad police seized Rs 7.5 crore hawala money in cash, along with illegal weapons sourced from states like Chhattisgarh and Bihar, said the police.
