"Disturbing trend": SC initiates suo motu proceedings to curb possession of unlicensed firearms in UP

New Delhi [India], February 13 : The Supreme Court on Monday initiated suo motu proceedings to curb the possession and use of unlicensed firearms in Uttar Pradesh and remarked that the trend of using illegal guns is "disturbing".
The court has also remarked that there is no right to bear firearms under the Indian Constitution, unlike the US constitution where the right to bear firearms is a Fundamental Right.
A bench of justices KM Joseph and BV Nagarathna registered the suo motu case and asked the Uttar Pradesh Government to file an affidavit mentioning the number of cases registered for possession and use of unlicensed firearms under the various provisions of law.
The court also sought to know from Uttar Pradesh what steps it has taken to root out the evil of unlicensed arms.
The court initiated its own proceedings while hearing a bail plea of a man from Uttar Pradesh, Rajendra Singh. He, through his advocate Rohit Kumar Singh, has challenged the Allahabad High Court order dated June 1, 2022.
Allahabad High Court has rejected his bail plea in connection with FIR lodged in Khekhra in district Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh. UP police have alleged that in July 2017 the Petitioner and other co-accused persons had allegedly murdered one man by firing and had caused firearm injuries to other two men and the firearm allegedly used in the crime has been recovered from the Petitioner Rajendra Singh.
During the hearing, Justice KM Joseph said that he belongs to Kerala, where such cases are rare while justice BV Nagarathna said that is the feudal mindset.