By IANS
Lucknow : The Uttar Pradesh government is ready with a draft bill that will expand the definition of organised crime to include even copying in examinations and enhance the powers of prosecuting agencies in a bid to nail “powerful white collared criminals”.
The draft of the proposed ‘Uttar Pradesh Control of Mafia (Organised Crime) Act – 2007’ was finalised at a meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Prashant Kumar Misra Sunday and would be passed by the cabinet before being tabled before the house in the winter session of the assembly that began here Tuesday.
“The need for a special law to deal with the organised mafia was felt because the existing provisions of law were not strong enough to nail powerful white-collar criminals,” a top government official told IANS.
“Under the proposed act, it will not be as simple for those falling under its net to get bail,” he said.
Giving details, he said there was no provision right now to book those who extend patronage to the organised mafia and to those who provide them logistical support. “But the proposed enactment will put all such people in the dock.”
The definition of organised crime has been expanded to include gambling, flesh trade, property grabbers and even those indulging in abetting the use of unfair means in examinations.
Even those remotely connected with them would get roped in under the proposed law, which provides for imprisonment up to five years and fine up to Rs.500,000.
There is also provision for life imprisonment for hardened outlaws and protection for witnesses who might be intimidated.
With a view to strengthening the hands of the police and other prosecuting agencies, the proposed enactment sanctions phone-tapping as well as electronic surveillance which can now be done only after a long bureaucratic process.
To prevent misuse of such a strict law, a high level Competent State Organised Crime Authority to be headed by an officer of the rank of additional director general of police is proposed to be constituted. All cases under the new act will require prior approval by this authority.