The Kerala High Court on Thursday directed the State government and Police Chief to file an affidavit explaining the action taken on the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on the 25 rifles and 12,061 live cartridges missing from the Special Armed Police Battalion (SAPB).

The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice M Manikumar and Justice Shaji P Chali issued the directive while admitting a public interest litigation seeking a probe by CBI or NIA into the rifles and live cartridges missing from the custody of police.

In his petition, PR Ramachandra Kaimal of Changanassery, Kottayam said that CAG found that 25 rifles stated to have been issued by the Special Armed Police Battalion were neither entered as received in the stock register nor in the records maintained by the Armoury Inspector at the camp. The report had therefore recommended that government take urgent steps to trace the missing cartridge. The CAG also recommended stock taking of arms and ammunition of the entire police force.

When the petition came up for hearing, Senior Government Pleader Suman Chakravarthy submitted that no rifles were found missing during the physical verification of the rifles done by the DIG, Armed Police Battalion and Director of Crime Branch. Besides, an investigation into the missing of the bullets was on.

In fact 11 police personnel had been named as accused in the case registered in connection with the missing bullets. The Government Pleader further submitted that it had become an issue because CAG team refused to account the 25 rifles transferred temporarily from SAP to Thiruvananthapuram city in 2011 despite records showed to them.

He also pointed out that the CAG report had been tabled before the Assembly and it was for the Public Accounts Committee to take action on it.

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