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Objection against renewal of Olympian Sanjeev Rajput’s arms license

Olympian Sanjeev Rajput has filed a writ with the Punjab and Haryana High Court after the state government issued a show-cause notice with regard to the cancellation of his arms license.

Indian shooter Sanjeev Rajput had applied for an extension of his arms license, which expires in June 2020. (PTI/File Photo)

Olympian Sanjeev Rajput has filed a writ with the Punjab and Haryana High Court after the state government issued a show-cause notice with regard to the cancellation of his arms license. Rajput, a national team regular, had applied for an extension of his arms license, which expires in June 2020.

The renewal will be essential for Rajput to compete at the Tokyo Olympics, which will be held in July-August next year. However, Yamunanagar district magistrate Amna Tasneem rejected his application, taking cognizance of the rape and molestation case registered against him.

“I am refusing extension of his arms license as of now because there is a case sub judice against him under section 376 of the IPC and other related sections also, which is pertaining to a complaint of rape and molestation against the gentleman,” Tasneem told The Indian Express.

“Since the case is sub judice and the model code of conduct is in place, I need to wait for court’s judgment before I can decide if he can have an arm’s license or not.”

Rajput has contested that he is an international shooter, an Olympian and an Arjuna Awardee and appealed to the court to reverse the district magistrate’s decision.

In 2016, a woman shooter who trained under Rajput had filed a FIR naming Rajput at Delhi’s Chanakyapuri police station alleging rape. Meanwhile, Rajput, who is out on bail to compete in international tournaments, had claimed the two were in a relationship.

Tasneem said her office had received a complaint from the woman shooter in September last year. Subsequently, a show-cause notice was issued to Rajput, who filed his reply in December last year.

However, when he applied for an extension of his arms license, the district magistrate’s office objected. Rajput, who competes in 50m rifle 3-position event, won a silver medal at the Asian Games last year apart from the gold at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

He competed at the Delhi World Cup earlier this year, where he finished 25th in the same event. The two-time Olympian is yet to book a quota for the Tokyo Olympics but is in the squad for Beijing World Cup later this month.