CHENNAI: The State government is going to enact a new law to deal with organised crimes and criminals in an effective manner. The draft bill has been prepared and will be placed before the Assembly in the next session.
A submission in this regard was made by government advocate JC Durairaj before a division bench of Madras High Court consisting of Justice N Kirubakaran (since retired) and P Velmurugan recently, following an order passed by the court on August 24, 2020.
“A committee was formed which is evident from the proceedings of the Director General of Police dated 30.9.2020 and as per the recommendation of the committee, a draft bill of the Tamil Nadu Control of Organised Crime Act has been made ready and it will be placed before the floor of the Assembly in the next session,” the bench said while disposing of a habeas corpus petition challenging detention of one Velu under the Goondas Act.
The bench had raised 25 queries, during an earlier hearing, including the necessity of bringing in a new Act like Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, 1999 (MCOCA) and similar Act passed by Karnataka and Gujarat enabling the police be more powerful and deal criminals effectively.
The court asked for details of number of rowdy gangs/paid killers active in Chennai as well throughout the State and the country, how many murders were committed by these gangs, the cases registered against them, the conviction rate, whether political parties appoint persons with muscle power/criminal background as office-bearers, whether criminals/rowdies floating own political parties and why not the Centre enact legislation like MCOCA or KCOCA to deal with inter-state gangsters, criminals and paid killers. The court expressed happiness and appreciated the State for drafting the bill and observed that if it is enacted, the police will be able to deal with criminals effectively.