21 April,2009 08:38 AM IST | | PTI
The state government's decision directing persons owning firearms to deposit their weapons with the concerned police station during the elections has come under the scanner of the Bombay High Court.
The HC was today hearing four petitions filed by some individuals who have already deposited their arms and others who are refusing to deposit their firearms.
Two of the petitioners, Vikas Shukla, an advocate and Merwan Irani, a sportsperson, have already deposited their firearms.
According to their petitions, there has been no screening of the individuals who have been asked to deposit their firearms.
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Their advocates Satyajit Joshi and A B Nair argued a screening committee should first categorise the owners to see if they have a clean record or are habitual offenders.
Counsel S R Chitnis who appeared for other petitioners said that they would not deposit the firearms in view of an earlier HC order passed in 2000, which had held that there should be a screening committee to access the antecedents of the owner.
A division bench of Justice Ranjana Desai and Justice Rajesh Ketkar asked the prosecution if they had a screening committee to access the situation.
The prosecution sought time to take constructions after which the court adjourned the hearing till tomorrow.
