Maharashtra govt to cancel gun licence of Shiv Sena MLA Sada Sarvankar

Shiv Sena's member of legislative assembly from Mahim, Sada Sarvankar, is all set to lose his gun licence. Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday told the state legislative council that a case has now been registered against Sarvankar under the Arms Act and the process of cancelling his gun licence has been initiated.

In September 2022, a case was registered against Sarvankar, who represents the Mahim constituency, after a round was fired from his licensed weapon during an altercation between rival Sena groups in Mumbai’s Dadar area.The Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Sena alleged that it was Sarvankar who used the weapon, while the MLA from the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led group denied opening fire and claimed his rivals were trying to malign him.

Sada Sarvankar, his son Samadhan Sarvankar and 11 people were given notice. He should not have kept his licensed weapon in his car as he was supposed to carry it with him,” Fadnavis said.“Action has been taken under the Arms Act. He violated licence norms. The process to revoke his licence has been initiated,” Fadnavis said. 

The police had seized Sarvankar's licensed weapon and sent it to the forensic laboratory in Kalina for analysis. "The ballistics report has confirmed that the empty shell found at the police station compound was from Sarvankar's firearm," a police officer said.Officials from Dadar police station had lodged cross-complaints of rioting and assault filed by the Shiv Sena (UBT) and CM Shinde led Sena over the fight between the rival Senas that occurred on the day of Ganpati immersions.