Got my licence at last
Posted: Mon May 30, 2011 5:56 pm
Dear IFGians it gives me great pleasure to announce that Licencing authority issued me an NPB Revolver/Pistol licence last friday. I have been trying to get a Licence since 2008 - half of the details of my pursuit of the same are covered in the following links -
http://indiansforguns.com/viewtopic.php ... 0&start=75
http://indiansforguns.com/viewtopic.php ... &start=105
The last update was Station Officer asking me for a certificate from local counsillor about my proof of residence but once i got an MLA from the ruling party give him a call this requirement was being waved off and after the SO entered comments in my file it was being forwarded to the police station of the district where my permanent residence is, this was during the mid of 2009. For next few months there was no news of the file except that the police went to my house enquiring about me and had all their questions answered. I travelled to the police station concerned and was being told that the file has been sent to District Crime Records Bureau for furthur clearance and once it gets cleared from there it will be presented to the Circle Officer for his approval. I visited Circle Officer's office the same day and was quite surprised to know that DCRB had already cleared the file and that even the circle officer has approved of the same and the file has already been dispatched, courtesy a Special Operations Group inspector who is my Dad's childhood friend
. One funny situation arose though, the staff wanted some vitamin M for their services which we were not willing to pay, as soon as they told us that the file has been dispatched I and my Dad litreally ran off from there. This was end of 2009.
2010 - Started pursuing my file at the SP's office every fortnight, in my absence my parents or brother used to do it, the file reached City Magistrate's office in May of 2010 and was promptly returned that the police verification report is more that 3 months old and I need a new verification from Local Police station to be done, Phew. Got a new verification done and the file reached Citi Magistrate's office again in about a weeks time. No action taken on it for another month inspite of repeated visits by all of us in the family for it. Well tried that old trick of getting an MLA of ruling party call up City Magistrate and magically the file reached District Magistrate's office by Mid of July. Again the same story of nothing happening inspite of repeated visits. I met the DM once only to be ticked off. The DM actually told me that I am applying for a licence for commiting some crime and that a good and honest and law abiding citizen does not even needs a stick to protect himself. Had a polite exchange with him on this topic and well - i was asked to leave.
September of 2010 saw me using all the influence on the licencing authority from the MPs to MLAs but alas no action. Thought of taking recource to courts but my family asked me not to do it(all are lawyers) as the cases involving licencing which were being taken up in the courts at that time related to the years - 1995-98 and thus they said that it is any one's guess that what will happen to your application.
Finally in October 2010 - got a call from collectorate asking me to come in for meeting a magistrate who told me that he personally took up the matter with DM and that my application needs to have a police verification report again as it is more that 3 moths old. Got a new report again after which again - NOTHING HAPPENED. Could not devote time in pursuing it anymore as I was getting married in December so just let it go at that time deciding to start pursuing it again in Jan of 2011.
Jan 2011 - No news on the licence still except that i was being told that by February again I will have to get a new police verification report done as it will be more than 3 months
. Well what to do, got a new police verification done and asked my family to pursue it as i was working in another city and also my exams were round the corner. While writing my exams i visited my in-laws and was pretty surprised on knowing that my dad-in-law hold 3 fire arms, i told him about my story and he said that he will personally look into what can be done. In the meantime I and my parents decided to indeed approach the court as no amount of talking/follow-ups/influence has worked. I was being approached by persons (touts) telling me that for a certain amount they will ensure that i indeed get the licence, good i didn't wasted my time with them cos I do not wanted to get into legal troubles later on.
During mid of April this year my father in law called me up and told me that he has talked to someone about my case and in a few days time i will get my licence, it was great news and as he had said i got a call from a clerk asking me for my photographs etc. Sent it to him through my bro and a week after that got another call that my licence is ready.
Learning from this episode - if nothing else then i have started beliving into RKBA more. I got my licence only because i knew someone with influence at right places else even today i would just have been running around in circles. This whole experience has been very demeaning and draining. The way I and my family was being treated by the Babus was humiliating. Everyone of them raised their eyebrows as though they are gonna clear a request for arms by a terrorist. The way police treated me was appaling - i was being made to sit for days just to get the IO sign my application form. Was being shouted at like a petty criminal, made to run around from police outpost to the station for over a month to locate my file. If i just go into all the details I might be typing for the rest of evening.
I wish all the best to NAGRI and as before will always keep trying to support the movement in whatever small way i can. indiansforguns.com and the members here have been of great help with their expert advice on various legal topics, thanks a lot to all of you.
Will i do it again?? Oh yes, I am thinking of applying for a rifle licence in coming days and already my family has told me that they do not know me and will not help me in anyway
.
Off-topic - i have decided to go ahead with an IOF pistol, will open a different thread for it when the time arrives.
Regards,
http://indiansforguns.com/viewtopic.php ... 0&start=75
http://indiansforguns.com/viewtopic.php ... &start=105
The last update was Station Officer asking me for a certificate from local counsillor about my proof of residence but once i got an MLA from the ruling party give him a call this requirement was being waved off and after the SO entered comments in my file it was being forwarded to the police station of the district where my permanent residence is, this was during the mid of 2009. For next few months there was no news of the file except that the police went to my house enquiring about me and had all their questions answered. I travelled to the police station concerned and was being told that the file has been sent to District Crime Records Bureau for furthur clearance and once it gets cleared from there it will be presented to the Circle Officer for his approval. I visited Circle Officer's office the same day and was quite surprised to know that DCRB had already cleared the file and that even the circle officer has approved of the same and the file has already been dispatched, courtesy a Special Operations Group inspector who is my Dad's childhood friend
. One funny situation arose though, the staff wanted some vitamin M for their services which we were not willing to pay, as soon as they told us that the file has been dispatched I and my Dad litreally ran off from there. This was end of 2009.2010 - Started pursuing my file at the SP's office every fortnight, in my absence my parents or brother used to do it, the file reached City Magistrate's office in May of 2010 and was promptly returned that the police verification report is more that 3 months old and I need a new verification from Local Police station to be done, Phew. Got a new verification done and the file reached Citi Magistrate's office again in about a weeks time. No action taken on it for another month inspite of repeated visits by all of us in the family for it. Well tried that old trick of getting an MLA of ruling party call up City Magistrate and magically the file reached District Magistrate's office by Mid of July. Again the same story of nothing happening inspite of repeated visits. I met the DM once only to be ticked off. The DM actually told me that I am applying for a licence for commiting some crime and that a good and honest and law abiding citizen does not even needs a stick to protect himself. Had a polite exchange with him on this topic and well - i was asked to leave.
September of 2010 saw me using all the influence on the licencing authority from the MPs to MLAs but alas no action. Thought of taking recource to courts but my family asked me not to do it(all are lawyers) as the cases involving licencing which were being taken up in the courts at that time related to the years - 1995-98 and thus they said that it is any one's guess that what will happen to your application.
Finally in October 2010 - got a call from collectorate asking me to come in for meeting a magistrate who told me that he personally took up the matter with DM and that my application needs to have a police verification report again as it is more that 3 moths old. Got a new report again after which again - NOTHING HAPPENED. Could not devote time in pursuing it anymore as I was getting married in December so just let it go at that time deciding to start pursuing it again in Jan of 2011.
Jan 2011 - No news on the licence still except that i was being told that by February again I will have to get a new police verification report done as it will be more than 3 months
. Well what to do, got a new police verification done and asked my family to pursue it as i was working in another city and also my exams were round the corner. While writing my exams i visited my in-laws and was pretty surprised on knowing that my dad-in-law hold 3 fire arms, i told him about my story and he said that he will personally look into what can be done. In the meantime I and my parents decided to indeed approach the court as no amount of talking/follow-ups/influence has worked. I was being approached by persons (touts) telling me that for a certain amount they will ensure that i indeed get the licence, good i didn't wasted my time with them cos I do not wanted to get into legal troubles later on.During mid of April this year my father in law called me up and told me that he has talked to someone about my case and in a few days time i will get my licence, it was great news and as he had said i got a call from a clerk asking me for my photographs etc. Sent it to him through my bro and a week after that got another call that my licence is ready.
Learning from this episode - if nothing else then i have started beliving into RKBA more. I got my licence only because i knew someone with influence at right places else even today i would just have been running around in circles. This whole experience has been very demeaning and draining. The way I and my family was being treated by the Babus was humiliating. Everyone of them raised their eyebrows as though they are gonna clear a request for arms by a terrorist. The way police treated me was appaling - i was being made to sit for days just to get the IO sign my application form. Was being shouted at like a petty criminal, made to run around from police outpost to the station for over a month to locate my file. If i just go into all the details I might be typing for the rest of evening.
I wish all the best to NAGRI and as before will always keep trying to support the movement in whatever small way i can. indiansforguns.com and the members here have been of great help with their expert advice on various legal topics, thanks a lot to all of you.
Will i do it again?? Oh yes, I am thinking of applying for a rifle licence in coming days and already my family has told me that they do not know me and will not help me in anyway
.Off-topic - i have decided to go ahead with an IOF pistol, will open a different thread for it when the time arrives.
Regards,
