Kingpin In Fake Arms Licence Racket, 8 Others Arrested In Uttarakhand

A criminal case was lodged at the Kashipur police station earlier this month. The investigation has already led to the arrest of nine people and the registration of three separate criminal cases.

23 Jun 2026, 18:11 · www.ndtv.com

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Satanand Sharma, mastermind of fake arms licence syndicate, was arrested in Uttarakhand
Investigation found Rs 1.7 crore linked to fraudulent arms licence sales
The STF made 9 arrests, seized 14 illegal firearms and forged licences

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The mastermind of a fake arms licence syndicate that investigators say operated across state boundaries and generated massive illegal profits, has been arrested by the Uttarakhand Special Task Force.
Satanand Sharma was caught from Rudrapur in Udham Singh Nagar district amid an ongoing investigation into forged arms licences and illegal weapon possession.

A senior officer of the Special Task Force, Ajay Singh, said, "Nearly Rs 1.7 crore was traced to the bank account of the accused, money allegedly earned through the preparation and sale of fraudulent arms licences."

A criminal case was lodged at the Kashipur police station earlier this month. The investigation has already led to the arrest of nine people and the registration of three separate criminal cases.

STF teams have also recovered 14 illegal firearms, including rifles, pistols, a revolver, pump-action guns, and 355 live cartridges. Several forged arms licences have also been seized.

Investigators said Sharma had provided many people with fake licences.

Preliminary findings suggest that old Unique Identification Numbers (UINs), linked to records reportedly missing from official archives, were illegally used to create seemingly valid licences on digital platforms. The police are also examining the role of other individuals connected to the operation.

STF officials say financial records reveal several beneficiaries who allegedly obtained licences through the network. Investigators believe more licence holders are linked to the racket and further arrests have not been ruled out.

Police records show that Sharma has previously faced criminal proceedings in Uttar Pradesh. Cases relating to forgery, cheating and conspiracy were registered in Ghaziabad and Shahjahanpur. He had also been booked under the Gangsters Act in the past.

Singh said the verification of thousands of transferred arms licences is continuing across Uttarakhand.

Forged arms licences pose a serious threat to public safety and national security, he said. The agency reiterated its zero-tolerance approach and urged anyone possessing suspicious licences to come forward.

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