New Delhi: What do BSP's Mayawati, Congress' Janardhan Dwivedi, BJP's Shahnawaz Husain and jailed Mohd Shahabuddin have in common?
According to an RTI reply, they are among the 75 MPs who have bought confiscated arms in the past 25 years.
While the Arminious and Erma revolvers were a hit among the VIPs during the early 1990s, those from Webly replaced them in the late 1990s. However, the last decade saw .22 bore revolvers and 7.65 mm Walther pistols being preferred.
In the reply given to an RTI petition filed by activist Gopal Prasad, the Commissioner of Customs (Preventive) said 75 MPs, including Dwivedi, Atiq Ahmed and Abu Azam Azmi, have bought various firearms from the government.
According to a July 2002 circular by Finance Ministry, confiscated weapons can be sold to sitting MPs on first-come-first-serve basis after receiving their confirmation in writing that they do not own or possess any weapon at present.
UP Chief Minister Mayawati bought an Arminious revolver in February 1991 for Rs 4,900 while Dwivedi bought 0.32 bore S&W revolver for Rs 1.45 lakh in the second half of last decade.
Former MP Atiq Ahmed, now in prison and facing trial in 35 criminal cases including several cases of murder, has spent the highest amount among the VIPs to buy a rifle 'Rugger M-77 Mark-II 30.66 mm' at a cost of Rs 3.15 lakh, whereas Azmi opted for a PPK pistol for Rs three lakh.
Kalmadi, who is now in Tihar prison pending trial in CWG scam, bought a Webly revolver in 1995 for Rs 9,150 while another jailbird Shahabuddin procured a S&W revolver in 2001 for Rs 43,507.
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