The Bombay High Court on Thursday issued a notice to Jamshed Ashraf, a minister in the Bihar government, who had obtained a licence for a revolver from Raigad district in Maharashtra a few years ago.

Though the minister had later surrendered the licence, Division Bench of Chief Justice Swatanter Kumar and A M Khanwilkar issued showcause notice to Ashraf, asking why action should not be taken against him.

Ashraf, a Janata Dal (United) leader, has to respond to the notice in two weeks.

Atul Bhagat, a Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) activist, has filed a PIL alleging that arms licences are being given against bogus documents or without verifying the applicant’s background. Bhagat cited Ashraf’s case as an example.

Petitioner’s lawyer Uday Warunjikar pointed out that Ashraf’s ration card mentioned that he was a resident of village Kegaon in Uran taluka of Raigad, near Mumbai. “But the sarpanch of Kegaon states that no such person ever lived in the village,” Warunjikar said.

Ashraf had issued a press release some time ago, stating that he was indeed staying in Raigad and was running a firm related to loading-unloading business at Nava-Sheva port. He added that he shifted to Bihar later.

The court was further surprised to learn that after Ashraf surrendered the licence, he was allowed to sell his revolver.