Jamshedpur East MLA Saryu Roy speaks to Chief Secretary, DGP; seeks action on Health Minister’s alleged illegal Glock pistol possession.
JAMSHEDPUR – Jamshedpur East MLA Saryu Roy has called for action on his complaint regarding the alleged illegal possession of a banned Glock pistol by state Health Minister Banna Gupta.
In a press statement released on Sunday, Mr. Roy claimed that he has spoken to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police (DGP), providing them with information about the issue and requesting a report from the Deputy Commissioner (DC) and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of East Singhbhum.
According to Mr. Roy, the Health Minister’s alleged illegal activities include purchasing a banned Glock pistol, bringing it to Jamshedpur, providing false information to the District Arms Magistrate, and keeping the banned weapon at his residence and in public places.
The press statement also mentioned that despite the district administration and police being informed about the situation, no action had been taken for three days.
Mr. Roy informed the state Chief Secretary and the DGP over the phone about the minister’s alleged illegal activities and requested a suo motu report from the DC and SSP.
He expressed his concerns about the local administration and police’s reluctance to take legal action against a minister and emphasized the need for support and instructions from the police and administrative headquarters of the state.
The statement highlighted that the Ministry of Home Affairs had declared the purchase and sale of Glock pistols illegal on January 21, 2023.
Mr. Roy also alleged that Health Minister Banna Gupta, a resident of Kadma police station area in Jamshedpur, not only possessed the banned weapon but also fired it during a local event for journalists.
Mr. Roy told the DGP that the Jamshedpur district administration had failed to confiscate the pistol and take legal action against the Health Minister under the Arms Act.
He emphasized that everyone should be equal in the eyes of justice, but the police seemed to be reluctant to act due to the minister’s position in the government.
The press statement of Saryu Roy further says:: “The DGP of Jharkhand is well aware that the minimum punishment for this crime of possessing a banned pistol is 7 years.
The punishment can extend up to 14 years. In such a situation, the police of Jamshedpur have remained a mute spectator to a heinous crime.
Just because the person who committed this heinous crime is a cabinet minister in the government. Had an ordinary person committed such a crime, the police would have put him behind bars. Everyone is equal in the eyes of justice.
The punishment for any crime is the same for everyone. But Jamshedpur police is not following this judicial principle. Being a minister, one person is flouting the law indiscriminately and the police administration remains helpless.”
The DGP of Jharkhand has reportedly assured Mr. Roy that a report would be sought from the SSP of the district, and appropriate action would be taken as soon as possible.
