The Pune city police have taken decisive action against a criminal with a documented police record, filing a formal case on Wednesday for his fraudulent acquisition of a firearm license in 2022. The accused, identified as Rahul Taru from Sahakarnagar, allegedly secured the permit by manipulating his residential details and hiding multiple body offence cases registered against him.
Arrest and Initial Discovery
This development follows Taru's arrest by the Pune Rural police last week, after he was accused of firing two rounds from his licensed firearm in Lonavla on January 21. The incident prompted a thorough review of his credentials, leading to the uncovering of significant discrepancies in his license application process.
Legal Charges and Investigation Findings
Subsequently, a fresh case was registered against Taru at the Loni Kalbhor police station under several sections of the Indian Penal Code. These include Section 420 for cheating, Section 465 for forgery, Section 471 for using a forged document as genuine, and Section 181 for making a false statement to a public servant.
The deception was brought to light when the Pune Rural police discovered that Taru possessed a valid firearm license despite his known criminal background. Further scrutiny revealed that he had tweaked his address during the permit application, which alerted city officials to potential fraud.
Details of the Fraudulent Application
A subsequent investigation by the Pune city police detailed that Taru applied for the license in November 2022 using a temporary address in Loni Kalbhor. To bolster his application, he submitted a fabricated rent agreement and a fake letter of guarantee. Crucially, he also falsely declared that he had no pending criminal cases against him.
Our investigation revealed that Taru has four cases of body offences registered against him at Sahakarnagar police station, stated a senior police officer involved in the case. This concealment of his criminal history was a key factor in the fraudulent acquisition of the license.
Police Response and Corrective Measures
In response to these findings, the authorities have moved swiftly to address the oversight. Following the discovery of the fraud, we have registered a case against Taru and have officially initiated the process to cancel his firearm license, the officer added, emphasizing the seriousness with which the police are treating this breach of trust.
This case highlights the importance of stringent verification processes in firearm license applications and underscores the vigilance required to prevent such fraudulent activities in the future.
