KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Thursday directed the state government to file an affidavit within one week, explaining the action taken on the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India on 25 rifles and 12,061 live cartridges going missing from the Special Armed Police Battalion (SAPB).
While admitting the petition filed by PR Ramachandra Kaimal, president, Hindu Seva Kendra, Changanassery, seeking a probe by the CBI or NIA on the issue, the Division Bench issued the notice to the state government, State Police Chief, Accountant General (General and Social Sector Audit), CAG and the Central government. The case has been posted for March 2.
When the petition came up for hearing, Senior Public Prosecutor Suman Chakravarthy submitted that no INSAS rifles allocated to SAP were found missing and each rifle has been physically verified and accounted by DIG Armed Police Battalion as well as director, Crime Branch. The entire rifles have been accounted for and verified. The CAG team refused to account the 25 rifles transferred temporarily from SAP to Thiruvananthapuram city on February 14, 2011, despite the records concerned shown to them. Besides, an FIR has been registered with regard to the missing of the cap of the ammunition, submitted the prosecution.
R Krishna Raj, counsel for the petition, submitted that the incident was a serious security breach. This was especially in the light of the fact that the nation is under serious threat of terrorists, including Maoists and the IS.
‘Entrust arms stock with Central agency’
During the hearing, the petitioner also sought a directive to the state to entrust the task of taking physical stock of the entire arms and ammunitions of the state police with any Central agency.