In a sudden development, Lt. Governor’s advisor Baseer Ahmad Khan, who is a former IAS officer, has been sacked after his name is reported to have surfaced in the “fake” gun license scam that is being investigated by the CBI.

Khan’s marching order came from the home ministry on Tuesday evening and he was immediately relieved from the post. With his ouster, the LG is now left with only two advisors.

The General Administration Department (GAD) of the J&K government issued a brief order relieving Khan from the post with immediate effect. “Pursuant to communication No.15030/40/2019-J&k dated 4th October 2021, of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, Shri Baseer Ahmad Khan (Retired IAS:2000) is hereby relieved from the post of Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor, Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, with immediate effect”, read the order issued by Manoj Kumar Dwivedi, commissioner/secretary GAD.

Khan was appointed Advisor to Lt. Governor Girish Chandra Murmu in March 2020.

The scam being investigated by the CBI pertains to the alleged issuance of more than 2.78 lakh arms
(gun) licenses to non-entitled persons between 2013 to 2016. CBI has also collected documents about the issuance of such arms licenses in over 22 districts of the erstwhile state of J&K. Several IAS and JKAS deputy commissioners and other officials were reportedly involved in the scam.

Khan, a retired IAS officer of the 2000 batch, who had his last posting as the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir and had served as Deputy Commissioner of various districts, was allegedly among the IAS and JKAS officers involved in issuing fake gun licenses during his tenure as the District Magistrate.

The name of Khan figured during the ongoing investigations by the CBI and his ouster was necessary to speed up the investigation in the sensitive case, sources said.

The CBI top brass is understood to have briefed the Union Home Ministry about Khan figuring in the gun license racket. In view of this, sources said, the ministry sacked Khan from the post of Advisor to let the CBI do its job independently.

The Rajasthan Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) and Madhya Pradesh Police had initially unearthed the scam in 2017 and had arrested over 50 people, including an IAS officer, for their alleged involvement in the illegal issuance of arms licenses. According to Rajasthan ATS, over 3,000 permits were granted allegedly in the name of Army personnel.

The CBI had recently raided in Jammu and Srinagar houses of many serving and retired bureaucrats in connection with the scam.