The Mayawati government on Wednesday introduced Uttar Pradesh Control of Organised Crime Bill seeking stringent punishment to gun-totting Mafiosi in the state. The bill aims at eliminating organized crime, which has assumed serious dimension in the state.
Chief Minister Mayawati told journalists after tabling the Bill in the State Assembly on Wednesday that the government was committed to root out organized crimes in the state. “The proposed legislation would primarily deal with contract killers, kidnappers, gun-totting contractors, hawala traders, enemies of economic structure, fake drug traffickers and liquor Mafiosi”, Mayawati said. “It would break backbone of all types of Mafiosi for ever”, the chief minister said.
The Bill has also proposed ban on display of firearms at public places to create terror among the people and those helping the criminals directly or indirectly would also face action under the Act, she said and added the law would also deal with those moving around with licenced weapons and creating “goondaraj”. If more than three persons move around with arms their licences would be liable for cancellation.
Allotment of contracts under pressure of criminals, as is being witnessed in several departments in the state, has also been covered under the legislation. While submission of character of certificate has been made compulsory for the contractors, any contractor approaching the authority for tendering his sealed quotation with his gang of armed men would be deemed as criminal and the act has provided stern punishment to these people. There is a provision of death punishment, life imprisonment and penalty of Rs ten lakh for various types of crimes under the proposed act.
{{/usCountry}}Allotment of contracts under pressure of criminals, as is being witnessed in several departments in the state, has also been covered under the legislation. While submission of character of certificate has been made compulsory for the contractors, any contractor approaching the authority for tendering his sealed quotation with his gang of armed men would be deemed as criminal and the act has provided stern punishment to these people. There is a provision of death punishment, life imprisonment and penalty of Rs ten lakh for various types of crimes under the proposed act.
{{/usCountry}}Mayawati said special courts would be established for speedy disposal of the cases and appellate authorities would also be constituted. The FIR under UPCOCA would be registered only after joint consent of divisional commissioner and DIG range and written permission of IG zone. “It would help in stopping misuse of the Act”, Mayawati said. The state level organized crime authority would have powers to cancel contracts grabbed forcibly. On the first registration of the crime under the Act the criminal would not be able to obtain bail ex-parte and or registration of case for the second time the offence would non-bailable under the Act.
A four-member state level authority headed by Principal Secretary (Home) would monitor activities of Mafiosi and take suo motto action by referring the cases to the director general of police. District level committees under the district magistrate would also be constituted for the same purpose. It would send report to state level authority. State level appellate authority headed by retired judge of the High court would be set up to hear appeals against the orders passed by state level Authority with 30 days.