Petitioner Atul Bhagat, president of Uran Vikas Manch, claimed that the Navi Mumbai police commissioner had issued a licence to hold arms in favour of one Rajesh Dhage and Jamshed Ashraf.

According to the petition, Dhage is a resident of Samelpada in Nalasopara. He is a sitting corporator of Nalasopara Municipal Corporation. Ashraf obtained the licence through Nalasopara police station at Uran taluka with the address of JNPT at Uran shown as permanent residence. Bhagat alleges that Ashraf is a permanent resident of Bihar and contested election of Bihar Legislative Assembly. He was elected as a MLA and holds the post of Revenue Minister in Bihar. Bhagat stated that he had sought information on this through RTI several times but was denied the same.

He further stated that in June 2008 the duo submitted documents claiming that they were permanent residents of the area which falls under the police commissioner of Navi Mumbai and obtained the required permission.

Bhagat had made an application to the DGP which was forwarded to the police commissioner of Navi Mumbai, however no action was taken. Bhagat has however made it clear that he is not seeking any relief against the individuals but only directions for regulating the system for granting licences.

He has also sought action against delinquent police officers and suspension of licence till pendency of the case. Petitioner’s advocate Uday Warunjikar said, “We are saying that these are the examples and the system is not correct.”