National rifle body slapped with Rs 8 crore fine

[m24]

Source: http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/national ... e_fine.php

The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has been slapped with a fine of Rs 8 crore by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) after it found sufficient evidence to prove that the national sports body had been selling arms and ammunition to its state affiliates and shooters for profits.

The shooting camp ongoing in Pune to prepare for the Commonwealth games could now reportedly be cancelled.

Sources say the DRI had raided the NRAI office.

[Olly]

I can see muck under the table...

[goodboy_mentor]

The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has been slapped with a fine of Rs 8 crore by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) after it found sufficient evidence to prove that the national sports body had been selling arms and ammunition to its state affiliates and shooters for profits.

I am curious. What implications does it have for us? Can we stand to gain out of this issue?

[shadow]

Or probably lose out considering tough stance that MHA is considering to take on Arms & Ammunition policy

Regards,
Shadow

[nagarifle]

opps, who would have guessed

[hvj1]

Just to clear the air,
1. The NRAI imports arms and ammunition for shooters and shooting associations with the objective of promoting the sport of shooting. In the absence of the same, it would be impossible for bonafide shooters and respective organisations to conduct any form of serious training, in view of the restrictions imposed by the Govt. of India on said imports.
2. The NRAI charges a very small fee (a small percentage) to defray the cost of imports, handling etc.
3. A part of this percentage is set aside for conducting training camps and organisational expenses.
4. For sending teams abroad, each time the NRAI has to send a budget and proposal to the SAI, who take their own sweet time, in the meantime, the NRAI uses its corpus funds to send the team, recovering the amount spent from the SAI once the budget is passed.
5. All such transactions (imports and sale to shooters and associations) are recorded and audited in the proper manner.
The above is the prevalent practice to the best of my knowledge. On what grounds and why the DRI has so far acted is beyond my recent knowledge. The implications of the same are however quite serious, since all training camps and international participation will be seriously jeopardised. With Abhinav's Gold and Rathore's Silver, the NRAI has come into the limelight and its actions will be under the microscope both for the good and the bad reasons.
For the sake of Indian Shooting, which is now taking of, I hope that quick decisions be taken, so that training and participation in competitions abroad are not hampered.
I SUSPECT, that the DRI has been fed some information from some quarters, who would dearly love to dislodge the present management, so that they can then have a shot at running the NRAI themselves.
P.S. I do not represent the NRAI, the information provided above is my opinion based on my past experiences with the NRAI.

[winnie_the_pooh]

This is not the only skeleton in their cupboard.

As far as RS Rathore and Abhinav Bindras medals are concerned the only ones that can lay claim to facilitating them is the Army for the former and the guys father for the latter.Certainly not the NRAI.

Left to the NRAI Rathore and Bindra would have been out of the shooting sports by now.

As far as the suggestion of introducing more people to shooting sports,you know where the NRAI wants to shove that.

As long as indian shooters and gun owners do not have the NRAI representing their interests and that of only a few fossilized individuals,this would continue and the day is not far when India and China would be at the same level as far as gun ownership is concerned.

[nagarifle]

This is not the only skeleton in their cupboard.

As far as RS Rathore and Abhinav Bindras medals are concerned the only ones that can lay claim to facilitating them is the Army for the former and the guys father for the latter.Certainly not the NRAI.

Left to the NRAI Rathore and Bindra would have been out of the shooting sports by now.

As far as the suggestion of introducing more people to shooting sports,you know where the NRAI wants to shove that.

As long as indian shooters and gun owners do not have the NRAI representing their interests and that of only a few fossilized individuals,this would continue and the day is not far when India and China would be at the same level as far as gun ownership is concerned.

and

[m24]

hvj1, not countering you or anything, but there can't be smoke without a fire. Frankly, I don't see NRAI doing anything for the sport or the fraternity. Their only so called achievement is the facility in Pune. They are like any other typical govt. body. Callous, insensitive and absolutely useless.

Regards

[xl_target]

Could this possibly be a way to warn the NRAI to keep its mouth shut since they are possibly the only organization that might be able to protest (even if it is ineffective)? Is this a way to stifle any protests that the NRAI might make in the near future about more restrictive gun laws coming down the pike? Pure speculation here, of course. The body of the NRAI might still be moving but it sure looks like the vultures are hovering overhead. Since the NRAI has failed to support the majority of shooters, I don't think too many will support it now. Or maybe, those of you who are more familiar with the institution, think there is still a chance for it and that the vultures should be shooed away? Some food for thought.

The NRA in America allows anyone to join. All you have to do is fill out the admission form (found in gun magazines, etc), pay a small fee and you are a member. Members can vote. This idea likely prevents a small clique from taking over the organization and using it for their own ends. The large member base is also one of the reasons that it is effective and is feared by politicians.

Any organization that restricts membership will likely end up hostage to a few who manage to take it over. If there is to be an organization formed in India to combat gun related regulations, it must not bar membership to anyone. To achieve that goal, the dues must also be modest so there is no economic bar to joining. Otherwise, it will probably end up as ineffective as current organizations. The goals must be simple and not try to encompass every single field in the realm of shooting. The goal could be as simple as publishing a report card on politicians depending on how they vote on gun issues. If there are enough members and enough people who pay attention to that report card, then politicians can be steered to vote for policies compatible to the organizations charter.

Wishful thinking? Quite possibly but I would like to quote our own Nagarifle:

if you say it can not be done, then you are right, for you, it can not be done.

[goodboy_mentor]

Wishful thinking?

Not a wishful thinking. Everything is possible.

[hvj1]

Their only so called achievement is the facility in Pune.

Dear M24
The facility created at Balewadi belongs to the Govt. of Mah. which has developed the facility for the Commonwealth Youth Games and the true architects of the same are - Mr. Anup Vinikar,(architect) Mr. D.K. Shukla(Design Consultant) and myself(Budget, Size of the range, equipment interior technicalities blah, blah, blah).
What ever I have to say, in favor of the NRAI, is this;
1. There is great amount of fairness regarding the scores shot by shooters in competitions, to my knowledge, I have never experienced scores being manipulated to favor any shooter and to my mind, that is the single most valubale contribution of the NRAI to the shooting franternity.
2. Teams are selected, comprising shooters on their recent form, which is another good thing. Unlike other sports federations, where big names are retained regardless of their form.
3. There are many honorable individuals who work within the NRAI, who function with a high degree of integrity.
Regards

[winnie_the_pooh]

1. There is great amount of fairness regarding the scores shot by shooters in competitions, to my knowledge, I have never experienced scores being manipulated to favor any shooter and to my mind, that is the single most valubale contribution of the NRAI to the shooting franternity.
2. Teams are selected, comprising shooters on their recent form, which is another good thing. Unlike other sports federations, where big names are retained regardless of their form.
3. There are many honorable individuals who work within the NRAI, who function with a high degree of integrity.
Regards

How about this

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/minis ... t/564714/0

The order comes in the wake of NRAI’s “deliberate” omission of three big names — Beijing Olympics gold medallist Abhinav Bindra, leading double-trap shooter Ronjan Sodhi and Athens Olympics silver medallist RVS Rathore

......with everyone except the NRAI representatives agreeing that the three shooters could not be dropped simply because of not participating in the trials in Patiala last month the reason given by the NRAI for excluding the three.

The ministry’s decision has also been prompted by the fact that over half a dozen shooters had walked out of the Patiala trials because of erratic clay target-throwing machines and poor infrastructure, a complaint sources say the ministry found merit in after verification.

[hvj1]

Attending Trials is a MUST for selection, however BIG the shooter may be. The entire shooting fraternity knows, that one cannot be selected for any international competitions, until unless the shooter attends the Trails. The purpose of the Trials is quite simple, is the shooter in good nick or not? Would youl like to give a berth to a shooter who is not in form, and has no hopes of achieving form in an impending international competition OR would you like to give a chance to a shooter who has proven his form in the trials and has the best chance to get INDIA a medal?
As I have said before, unlike other sports federations, big names are selected regardless of form. I am no great fan of the NRAI, but the COUNTRY comes first and if a shooter has missed a trial, then there is something called as DISCIPLINE. Whoever he or she may be. Why there is a plethora of talent out there in the country my friend, all of them are honing their skills to a fine edge! On the day of the trials your past performance is just that- your past! It is the present form that counts.
How do you think China is at the forefront, they are strict disciplinarians and REGARDLESS of an olympic medal, only the very best represent the country ON FORM!

[winnie_the_pooh]

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/nrai-snubs-t ... 351-5.html

Moreover, Beijing Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra, too, hasn't been considered for selection which seems to be a fallout of an ongoing feud between him and the association since the 2008 Games.

Perhaps he is not obsequious enough. Perhaps he should have gone running to Sethi and Party on winning the Olympic gold and touched his/their feet then things would have been ok

http://www.mid-day.com/sports/2009/oct/ ... -Games.htm

The National Rifles Association of India (NRAI) have excluded Abhinav Bindra from the list of 15 national shooters, who will be sponsored by Sahara India Pariwar for their 2012 Olympic preparations.

http://www.topnews.in/ace-shooter-abhin ... ons-269533

The President of NRAI Digvijay Singh had said earlier in an interview that the success of Bindra and Jaspal Rana had gone to their heads and made them arrogant.

He further added that such a success was possible only because of the system set up by the NRAI.