TNN
 
Ranchi, Nov 12: Mahendra Singh Dhoni might be a star in the eyes of cricket buffs across the globe. The government in his home state, however, has doubts about his "character".

The Team India captain, in fact, wished to buy a 9mm pistol and applied for a licence. Since 9mm pistols come under the category of prohibited arms for which licences are issued by the Union home ministry, all that the state government was supposed to do was to recommend the grant of the licence to the son of the soil.

Three months on, however, the Ranchi district arms magistrate wrote to Dhoni that because of rising incidents of terrorism, extremism and criminal activities in the state, he should get "swachchhata praman patra" or character certificate from the SP (special branch), SP (vigilance) and SP (CID) if he wants the state government to okay his application.

The magistrate has in fact copied the phraseology of his letter from a similar letter of South Chhotanagpur divisional commissioner to the Ranchi deputy commissioner on Dhoni's application. Commissioner Sheela Kisku Rapaz wrote to the deputy commissioner on September 23, 2008 that in the wake of rising incidents of terrorism, extremism and crime in the state, the proposal for arms licence be forwarded to the office of the commissioner only after the three police officials have issued character certificate to the applicant.

The commissioner's letter does not mention if the "precaution" has to be taken specially for the arms licence to Dhoni.

Deputy commissioner Rajiv Arun Ekka said the letter has been sent to Dhoni as an official procedure. He, however, declined to comment why the state government was taking so much of time in processing the application. "I would really not like to waste time on commenting," he tersely told TOI on Tuesday.

Dhoni's family sources said the application for arms licence was submitted in August. "In the past three months, it is the first official communication on the application," said one family member.