Two cases against SS Namdhari for illegal passport and arms license

Two cases were registered on Monday against former Uttarakhand minority panel chief SS Namdhari in Punjab for allegedly resorting to illegal means to obtain arms licences and passport in the state.

Passport of Namdhari, who is a resident of Bazpur in Uttarakhand, was impounded by the regional passport office in Jalandhar on November 27.

Persual of the report by Punjab's Home Secretary prima facie leads to the conclusion that Namdhari "resorted to illegal means to provide fake residence proof(s) to obtain the arms licences and passport in Punjab", an official spokesman said here today.

The report recommended that a criminal case be lodged against the "fugitive" at state crime police station in Mohali and the accused be brought on production remand for investigation, the spokesman said.

Namdhari and his PSO, who were arrested for their alleged involvement in the killing of a controversial liquor trader and his brother in Delhi, are in judicial custody.

In another inquiry against Namdhari in connection with his having obtained a passport from Jalandhar, the probe charged him with giving "misleading" information and concealing information of about 13 criminal cases against him registered in Uttarakhand.

"Prima facie a criminal case be lodged against him to bring him on production remand for investigation purposes under the Indian Penal Code and the Passport Act," the report said.

The report said Namdhari "adopted illegal means to obtain a fake ration card to obtain the passport. In addition he did not disclose the factual position about the place of his residence and educational qualification.

"He also mis-stated his non involvement in criminal cases in Uttrakhand. Accordingly he has committed criminal offence in wrongly obtaining the passport from the Regional Passport Authority, Jalandhar," the report detailed.

"The two reports (regarding arms license and passport) had been submitted to Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal recommending registration of a criminal case against Namdhari," the spokesman said adding, further action as per the recommendation is being taken against Namdhari.

Namdhari resorted to "criminal conduct" in procuring arms licences and also in obtaining duplicate licences by giving "false addresses", the spokesman said quoting the report.

On November 28, taking cognisance of media reports, Badal had asked Home Secretary to conduct a probe and submit its report.

"A complete investigation of the licences issued to other four accomplices of Namdhari is required as it is felt that a nexus could be established between all the five applicants who may not be residents of Punjab and may be acting as henchmen of Namdhari in Bazpur, Uttrakhand," the report says.

Namdhari purchased three weapons over the years that include one .315 bore rifle, one gun and a pistol. Subsequent renewals were carried out by District Magistrates of Rupnagar and Mohali, the report points.

"Namdhari misused his weapon for seizing disputed property in Udham Singh Nagar," the report says.

The weapon was impounded and deposited in Kashipur police station.

"An order of DM Udham Singh Nagar however mentions the communication of the cancellation of licence to DM, Patiala, which further raises doubts whether the original copy of the licence was deposited in the case," says the report.

"The complete information needs to be verified to understand the facts regarding misuse of the licence by accused," the report says.

A "duplicate licence" was issued from DM Amritsar office on March 22, 2001 and another "duplicate licence" was issued by DM Mohali on May 17, 2007.

Namdhari applied to DM Amritsar for issuing a duplicate license and for renewal of his licence no 276/PS Kurali/DM Roop Nagar in March, 2001.

"The applicant gave a fake address - 4657 Ranjit Pura, Amritsar. A duplicate licence book was issued by DM/Amritsar on March 22, 2001 and the licence was renewed upto March 1, 2004," the report says.

"The chain of events points out towards the criminal intentions of Namdhari in using duplicate licence books for some illegal motives which need to be unearthed at the investigation stage," according to the report.