{"id":215038,"date":"2019-05-27T10:30:57","date_gmt":"2019-05-27T05:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/?p=215038"},"modified":"2019-06-04T18:02:09","modified_gmt":"2019-06-04T12:32:09","slug":"del-hc-charge-framed-under-s-30-of-arms-act-quashed-in-absence-of-conscious-possession-of-live-cartridge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2019\/05\/27\/del-hc-charge-framed-under-s-30-of-arms-act-quashed-in-absence-of-conscious-possession-of-live-cartridge\/","title":{"rendered":"Del HC | Charge framed under S.30 of Arms Act quashed in absence of “conscious” possession of live cartridge"},"content":{"rendered":"

Delhi High Court:\u00a0<\/strong>Sanjeev Sachdeva, J. allowed a petition filed against the order of farming of charge, whereby the petitioner was charged for having committed an offence punishable under Section 30 of the Arms Act for violating conditions of the license.<\/p>\n

The petitioner was a resident of Noida, UP. He held a valid arms license for the State of U.P. He was found in possession of a live cartridge while undergoing x-ray screening at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi. Aishwarya Dobhal and Hilal Haider, Advocates for the petitioner contended that he was not in “conscious” possession of the said cartridge and therefore no charge could be framed against him.<\/p>\n

Agreeing with the counsel for the petitioner, the High Court observed: “petitioner did not make any attempt to conceal the live cartridge in the bag and had handed over the bag for x-ray screening. It is common knowledge that in case any arms or ammunition are present in a bag which is screened by X-Ray, the arm and ammunition would be easily detected unless an attempt\u00a0is made to conceal the same”. The Court noted that it was not the case of the prosecution that any attempt was made by the petitioner to conceal the same so as to avoid detection. It was held:\u00a0From the perusal of the record it can be safely inferred that the presence of live cartridge in the handbag was not within the knowledge of the petitioner and petitioner did not have requisite\u00a0<\/strong>mens rea\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>for committing the said offence.”\u00a0<\/strong>Reliance was placed upon the Supreme Court decision in\u00a0Gunwantlal v. State of M.P.,\u00a0<\/em>(1972) 2 SCC 194<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In such view of the matter, the petition was allowed and the charge as farmed was held not sustainable. [Anjum Asgar Zaidi v. State (NCT of Delhi), 2019 SCC OnLine Del 8649<\/b><\/a>, decided on 20-05-2019]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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J., quashed an FIR registered against the petitioner under Section 25 of the Arms Act, 1959 for being found in possession of a live\u00a0cartridge at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi. The petitioner was travelling from New Delhi to Canada by China Southern Airlines.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Case Briefs"","block_context":{"text":"Case Briefs","link":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/category\/casebriefs\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":343572,"url":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2025\/03\/13\/delhi-high-court-quashes-fir-conscious-possession-pilot-legal-news\/","url_meta":{"origin":215038,"position":1},"title":"\u201cNo ‘conscious possession’ of ammunition\u201d: Delhi High Court quashes FIR against pilot trainee but imposes cost for lack of vigilance","author":"Arunima","date":"March 13, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The petitioner contended that he was undergoing training in South Africa to become a commercial pilot and was sharing a dormitory with other students who frequently borrowed his baggage for trips to shooting ranges for target practice.","rel":"","context":"In "Case Briefs"","block_context":{"text":"Case Briefs","link":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/category\/casebriefs\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Delhi High Court","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Delhi-High-Court.webp?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Delhi-High-Court.webp?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Delhi-High-Court.webp?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Delhi-High-Court.webp?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":221981,"url":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2019\/11\/11\/del-hc-fir-under-arms-act-1959-quashed-in-light-of-possession-of-ammunition-unconsciously\/","url_meta":{"origin":215038,"position":2},"title":"Del HC | FIR under Arms Act, 1959 quashed in light of unconscious possession of ammunition","author":"Bhumika Indulia","date":"November 11, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Delhi High Court: Suresh Kumar Kait, J., disposed of a petition filed against the FIR filed for offences punishable under Sections 25, 54 and 59 of Arms Act, 1959, wherein it held that, \u201cThe possession of the ammunition was unconscious and there was no threat to anyone.\u201d In the present\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Case Briefs"","block_context":{"text":"Case Briefs","link":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/category\/casebriefs\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":248388,"url":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2021\/05\/18\/arms-act\/","url_meta":{"origin":215038,"position":3},"title":"Del HC | If a firearm is recovered from possession of a person at the airport which he\/she is unaware of can the person be punishable under S. 25 of Arms Act? 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Instant matter was filed with regard to the quashing of an FIR registered at the police station \u2013 I.G.I Airport for the offences punishable under Section\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Case Briefs"","block_context":{"text":"Case Briefs","link":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/category\/casebriefs\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":355564,"url":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2025\/08\/04\/tel-hc-discharges-man-carrying-380-live-ammunition-in-airport\/","url_meta":{"origin":215038,"position":4},"title":"\u2018Mere recovery without mental intent not conscious possession\u2019; Telangana HC discharges man carrying 380 live ammunition to use as neck chain","author":"Editor","date":"August 4, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"\u201cThe essential requirement to constitute an offence under the Arms Act is the existence of mens rea, i.e., knowledge of such possession or control over the firearm or ammunition, even in the absence of actual physical possession.\u201d","rel":"","context":"In "Case Briefs"","block_context":{"text":"Case Briefs","link":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/category\/casebriefs\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-5.webp?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-5.webp?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-5.webp?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-5.webp?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":264206,"url":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2022\/03\/24\/arms-licence\/","url_meta":{"origin":215038,"position":5},"title":"If you are found in possession of live ammunition along with a valid arms licence, can an offence under S. 25 of Arms Act still be registered against you? 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