Look into police-criminal nexus over missing arms: HC

Just about a month after the Punjab and Haryana High Court expressed strong dissatisfaction with the Punjab Police for failing to recover nine out of 10 missing weapons from the state armoury, Justice Vinod S Bhardwaj has asserted that the police-criminal nexus is required to be investigated and examined by a special investigation team (SIT).

The direction came as Justice Bhardwaj termed the matter as one of considerable impact while emphasising the imminent risk of weapons being used by gangsters and other criminals. “The case is of serious magnitude as it is about the weapons missing from the police armoury. The possibility of such weapons having landed in the hands of gangsters/criminals, who are at large, is imminent,” the court asserted.

Justice Bhardwaj also directed Senior Superintendents of Police from Bathinda, Moga, Mohali and Tarn Taran districts to cooperate with the SIT in recovering the missing weapons. The court warned that non-cooperation by district police heads would be “viewed seriously,” requiring them to file affidavits detailing the steps taken to apprehend the suspects and recover the firearms if progress was not achieved.

The case stems from the disappearance of weapons from the armoury. The Bench, during the resumed hearing of the matter, was told that four out of the remaining nine weapons had been recovered. Three were traced to an accused, who is currently absconding.

“One such suspect Manpreet Singh, alias Mani Bhinder, is reported to have purchased three missing weapons and he is involved in six cases. It was also noticed that the malkhana incharge had sold those weapons to Manpreet Singh,” Justice Bhardwaj asserted.

Appearing before the Bench, Punjab Additional Advocate-General informed the Bench that efforts to “apprehend the absconding accused” had been intensified and the weapons would be recovered “very soon”.

The Bench, in December 2022, had admonished the Punjab Government for the sorry state of affairs after noticing that a carbine went missing from the state armoury before calling for an affidavit from the state Director General of Police. He was asked to give details of the weapons deposited with the state armoury at different police stations and information on missing weapons.

Justice Bhardwaj was hearing a petition filed against the State of Punjab and other respondents by Daljit Singh through counsel SS Salar. “The present case reflects the sorry state of affairs where an M1 carbine has gone missing from the state armoury and the authorities have filed evasive response about their inability to trace the weapon,” Justice Bhardwaj had asserted

The court was initially informed about 14 missing weapons, but the number was later reduced to 10 following some recoveries. Justice Bhardwaj emphasised the need for accountability and transparency in safeguarding law enforcement assets by stating that the court was inclined to initiate disciplinary action against the SIT for inaction.