Delhi Police the first force to have SMART arms licenses has become role model for other state forces

New Delhi, March 11

The Delhi Police have modernized the arms licensing process with their move to introduce smart card licenses, the first in the country. The smart arms license of Delhi Police has even inspired Haryana Police to replicate the same system. The smart arms license recently appreciated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the Delhi Police Raising Day in February. 

In a special interview with BW PoliceWorld, Special CP (Licensing &Legal) Sanjay Singh talks about the smart arms license and the digitalization of the arms licensing in Delhi. 

1) Delhi Police introduced SMART arms licensing, the first force in the county to have smart cards for arms license. Tell us more about it.

Delhi Police is indeed the first force in the country to introduce smart arms license and digitalize the whole process. This was done to ensure better service delivery to our citizens, several digital steps have been taken by Delhi police towards ‘Digital Bharat’ policy of Government. The arms license applications are received online only moreover internal processing of file is also through e-office. We have more than 43000 arms licensees registered with us. With collective efforts of staff and supervisory officers, now we are heading towards talking other services of licensing unit on online platform soon. 

2) In a step ahead, Delhi Police and introduced SMART card and how will it help arms license holders?

Delhi Police has launched Smart Card Arms License in February last year. We have received overwhelming response from the licensees who have shown keen interest to have smart card. More than around 10000 smart cards have been issued till last date. Smart card is not only easy to carry but also consist of several security features. 

3) Delhi Police also introduced Shastra App for the police to check on arms license. Tell us more about the functioning of the same.

The Shastra App is a mobile application developed by the licensing unit of Delhi Police, which is integrated with the e-beat book. The beat officers, can now check the details of the licensee by scanning the smart card of the license or through unique identification number. The Shastra app will facilitate dynamic and real time checking of the arms licensee. This will discourage criminals to prepare and carry forged arms license.  

4) You are inspiring many state and UT police to take up smart card arms licensing system. Which other police forces to implicate this modernized technique of licensing?

The senior level officers from adjoining states have visited the licensing unit of Delhi Police. Haryana, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh Police and other government officers have visited our unit and understood the process of the digitalization and preparing smart cards. I am glad to say that all of them appreciated our vision and efforts. They have expressed their interest in implementing these initiatives in their departments also. Haryana Police have already introduced digital process of licensing.

5) Could we say if smart licensing would aide in legalizing the licensing in the national capital?

The idea here is to simplify, accelerate and professionalize the process of licensing. With the digitalization of the process, there is no scope for any gaps or window for those to illegally procure any license. Those who have unlicensed arms cannot escape from the radar of police under any circumstances. 

Sanjay Singh has joined the Indian Police Services in 1990 as an IPS officer in the AGMUT cadre. Singh is one of the senior IPS officers of Delhi Police much revered for his contribution in the force in various capacities. 

Right from his induction in the force, he has served Delhi Police as DCP (Northwest), DCP (traffic), DCP (Security) and Director of Security in Rajya Sabha, Jt CP Northern Range, Special CP (Law and Order) in two zones. 

He worked as IGP Goa and IGP Andaman and Nicobar before coming back to Delhi Police to lead the force in key departments.

Singh holds MA (History) and BA (History) (Honours) from Delhi University and knows Delhi by its pulse. 

During his service he solved many sensational cases- murder of Congress councillor Atma Ram Gupta, encounter of dreaded gangster Rajbir Ramala, who was carrying a reward of Rs. Three lakhs and wanted in 40 criminal cases, high profile kidnapping and rescue case of Arpan Paliwal, grandson of local MLA in Najafgarh, another case of rescue of Prince Juneja from Darbhanga in Bihar where ransom of Rs. 12 lakhs was demanded, kidnapping and murder case of Parkash Chaddha, famous dacoity case of Vaish Co-Operative bank, arrest of 14 Bangladeshis in Sarswati Vihar who were running a dacoity gang in the city. 

Singh, as a police officer handled some sensitive situations like the Kisan agitation at Tikri and Singhu borders, and Tiz Hazari court complex agitation by lawyers. 

Singh is a decorated officer who is a recipient of Police Special Duty Medal for serving in Mizoram, Police Special Duty Medal for serving in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and police medal for Meritorious Service by President of India.