Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday approved the draft of a bill to enact a stringent law on the the lines of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) to combat land mafia, mining mafia and organised crime in the state.
The bill is expected to be introduced in the winter session of the state legislature, which commences here on Thursday.
The Uttar Pradesh Control of Organised Crime Act (UPCOCA) was approved in a meeting of the state cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath here, state government spokesperson and power minister Srikant Sharma told reporters.
"The rule of law is the top priority of the government and for this it is essential that those indulging in mafia and 'goonda' activities, and disturbing peace in the society are identified and a special drive is launched against them... The bill is being brought with this purpose in mind," he said after the meeting.
The draft of the proposed legislation has been prepared in consultation with the law department to check organised and white-collar crime, and mafias, he said, adding that there are 28 provisions in the draft bill which are not present in the existing Gangsters Act.
The committee set up to examine the draft bill also took into account a similar act in Maharashtra. It was headed by the home department's secretary with the additional director general of police for crime and special secretary law as its members, the minister said.
"Organised crime has been defined in detail in the (draft) bill. Kidnapping for ransom, illegal mining, manufacturing illicit liquor and its sale, acquiring contracts on the basis of muscle power, organised exploitation of forest produce, trade in wildlife, fake medicines, grabbing of government and private properties, and 'rangdari' (extortion) will come under the ambit of the new law," Sharma said.
He said that arrangements have also been made to check the misuse of the bill and that cases under it will be filed only on the recommendations of the committee of divisional commissioner and range deputy inspector general of police.
The permission of the zonal inspector general of police will be required before filing of charge sheet after thorough inquiry, he said.