BALRAMPUR: Property worth over Rs 50 crore, including four luxury vehicles, of former Samajwadi Party MLA Arif Anwar Hashmi was attached by the district administration under the Gangsters Act on Friday.
The two-time former MLA from Utraula seat is presently lodged in jail.
"Property of Hashmi worth over Rs 50 crore has been attached under the Gangsters Act," Superintendent of Police Hemant Kutiya said.
"AG Hashmi Degree college, Utraula; National Mahavidyalaya, Rehra Bazar; National Modern Inter College; and AG Hashmi Inter College, Sadullah Nagar were among those attached by the administration," he said, adding that four luxury vehicles worth over Rs 65 lakh were also seized.
"Twenty criminal cases, including that of land grabbing, were pending against Hashmi. His history sheet was opened this year and a case under the Gangsters Act was lodged against him. The attachment of property is done if it is attained by illegal means," the officer said.
According to section 14 of the Gangsters Act, a district magistrate can order attachment of a property, whether movable or immovable, if there is reason to believe that it has been acquired by a gangster as commission for an offence triable under this law.
Under the provisions, the booked persons will be required to prove to the administration that their attached properties are not ill-gotten and they need to present evidence for their claims.