Saharanpur, Apr 23 (IANS): A court in Saharanpur has sought an explanation from the police about how a licensed revolver belonging to a man, was found missing form 'malkhana', and was later found in possession of a dreaded gangster's son.

Eight years ago, Lalit Kumar, owner of a licensed fire arm in Dehra village of Saharanpur, won a court case pertaining to a property dispute. He then got the district magistrate's permission to get his seized licensed revolver released from the 'malkhana' of Deoband police station in 2015.

He was told that his weapon had gone missing and was in the possession of a gangster's son.

Though an FIR was filed against the cops assigned with the weapon's custody, police closed the case.

The matter came to light again when the same weapon was seized by police from Vivek Singh, son of jailed don Sushil Mooch in Ratanpuri region of Muzaffarnagar, during a raid in January this year.

Lalit Kumar filed a revision petition in a court in Muzaffarnagar seeking custody of his weapon.

He told the court, "My revolver had gone missing in 2015 and was recovered in 2023. I am the rightful owner of the weapon and that is why it is my appeal to get it released and get it in my custody."

The court has now asked police to explain how a confiscated gun in police custody reached a gangster.

Assistant district government counsel, Parminder Singh, said, "The court has expressed deep concern on the landing of a weapon in government custody in the hands of the person whose father is one of the top dons in UP."

Singh further said, "SHO of Deoband police station has been summoned through SSP Saharanpur to apprise the court of the current status of the case pertaining to the 2015 FIR filed against cops over the stolen weapon. It has also directed the district administration to serve a show-cause notice to Vivek Singh who must explain his position in the matter."

SHO (Deoband) has been asked to be present in the court on the next hearing on April 29.