MCOCA-like law to be enacted in Kerala to deal with crime syndicates
A draft of the new legislation has been prepared and the Law Department is fine-tuning it before presenting it for final approval.
Published: 06th August 2020 03:33 AM | Last Updated: 06th August 2020 03:33 AM | A+A A-
Faisal Fareed, the prime accused in smuggling of gold using diplomatic baggage. (Photo | Express)
KOCHI: To counter increasing organised criminal activities like drug trafficking, smuggling, looting and extortion, the Kerala government has decided to introduce a stringent law on the lines of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) 1999, to give the police special powers to deal with the criminals involved.
Senior Home Department officials told TNIE that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has given his approval for framing a new law to deal with the organised crime syndicates that have been gaining a foothold in the state in the past few years.
“A core committee of officials that included the top brass of police and intelligence has convinced the chief minister about the need to have a stringent law to deal with organised crimes,” said a senior Home Department officer.
A draft of the new legislation has been prepared and the Law Department is fine-tuning it before presenting it for final approval.
“Only after a detailed scrutiny and several rounds of discussion with the stakeholders, the draft will be presented for approval,” added the officer.
Kerala will be the third state in the country, after Maharashtra and Delhi, to have a tough legislation arming the police to deal with the criminal syndicates. State police chief Loknath Behera said the activities of organised crime rackets have been a major cause for worry and the state lacked a stringent law to handle the situation. “We’ve given necessary inputs for drafting the law, which is necessary because the existing legal framework is inadequate to curb or control the menace of organised crime,” he said.
Police officials said it was the introduction of MCOCA that helped both Maharashtra and Delhi police quell the activities of notorious gangsters and crime syndicates. According to provisions being drafted in the proposed law, the police will have special powers for prevention and control of criminal activities in the state.
Strengthening state police
Draft being fine-tuned by Law Department
The chief minister is learnt to have given his approval for framing the new law
