A major interstate arms licence forgery case has come to light following a comprehensive operation by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), uncovering a network that used counterfeit licences issued from Etah district in Uttar Pradesh to illegally acquire weapons in Gujarat.
The ATS, acting on reliable intelligence, arrested nine individuals from different parts of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, including Vastral, Meghaninagar, Maninagar, and Adalaj. Those taken into custody were identified as Sholesinh Sengar, Vedprakash Singh, Mukesh Singh Chauhan, Rajendrasinh Sankhla, Vijaysinh Sengar, Abhishek Trivedi, Ajay Sengar, Shyamsingh Thakur, and Himmatsinh Kamalakarsinh Rajput.&nbsp;
Two others connected to the case are still absconding, with officials confident of apprehending them shortly.
Authorities believe the group secured forged arms licences between 2019 and 2022 through agents operating in Etah. These licences, although appearing legitimate, were allegedly issued without any formal application, documentation, or verification.&nbsp;
The mastermind of the operation has been identified as Devkant Pandey of Etah, who is accused of managing the production and delivery of these fake documents, with assistance from Rajesh of Etah, Shyamsinh Thakur, and Mukesh Singh Chauhan.
Deputy Superintendent of Police S L Chaudhary of the Gujarat ATS stated, &ldquo;The individuals involved admitted to having paid significant amounts solely to acquire bogus arms licences, bypassing all legal procedures. Mukesh Singh Chauhan paid Rs 7 lakh, Abhishek Rajdev Rs 5 lakh, Vedprakash Singh Rs 11 lakh, Rajendra Singh Rs 7 lakh, Ajay Singh Sengar Rs 7 lakh, Sholay Singh Sengar Rs 11 lakh, and Vijay Singh Sengar Rs 5.5 lakh. These permits were issued by the Etah district authority, yet none of the recipients ever personally visited the concerned office. They collected the licences from locations indicated by Devkant Pandey.&rdquo;
Investigators have confirmed that the accused never appeared before the District Magistrate, had no official residence or business in Etah, and did not sign any required documentation at licensed arms dealers. The case has raised serious concerns about systemic failures and potential complicity at the point of issue.
During the operation, ATS teams seized seven firearms&mdash;three revolvers and four pistols&mdash;and a total of 285 live cartridges, comprising 187 for revolvers and 98 for pistols. These weapons had been procured using the fraudulent documents, and officers believe the intention was not only self-possession but potential distribution within other circles.
Among those arrested, Shyamsingh Thakur, originally from Aliganj in Etah and currently residing in Ahmedabad, and Himmatsinh Kamalakarsinh Rajput of Ahmedabad, with ties to Prayagraj, are believed to have played active roles in facilitating local links to the larger operation.
A senior ATS official commented, &ldquo;This case represents a grave violation of arms control laws and presents a clear risk to internal security. Our investigation is focused on exposing all layers of this network, especially those who may have benefitted from similar forged documents.&rdquo;
Charges have been filed under Sections 336(2), 337, 338, 339, 341(2)(4), 54, and 61 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, 2023, in addition to Section 25(1-B)(a) of the Arms Act. All nine accused are in custody, and their remand has been extended until July 16 as questioning continues.&nbsp;
Investigative teams are coordinating with Uttar Pradesh officials to track down the two absconders and examine the role of local authorities in Etah who may have aided the issuance of these counterfeit licences.
Officials suspect this operation could be part of a broader illegal arms procurement syndicate, and further arrests are expected as the probe progresses.
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Bogus arms permits issued in UP helped accused buy weapons across Gujarat, say ATS officials.

Gujarat ATS Busts Interstate Fake Arms Licence Racket

Bogus arms permits issued in UP helped accused buy weapons across Gujarat, say ATS officials.

July 15, 2025 | 04:51 IST