On the line of Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Bill (MACOCA), Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati also introduced the UP Control of Organised Crime Bill (UPCOCA) on Wednesday to deal with the deep-rooted organized crime in state. Uttar Pradesh has been defamed for its entrenched mafia and organized crime syndicate for some times and now CM Mayawati has taken the challenge to restrict the criminal activities in the state.
The newly proposed UPCOCA bill would work as an effective medium for the administrative and police officials to take on the criminal activities and elements now.
According to the report, Mayawati expressed hope, while tabling the bill in the state assembly; that the UPCOCA would effectively deal with the network of land grabbers, contract killers, kidnappers, contractors, hawala traders, economic offenders, drugs and spurious medicine dealers. The proposed act would work against the public display of firearms to create terror among common people.
It would be discouraging for the politicians and criminals in UP because they are almost habituated for carrying such arms with theme even at public place. According to the proposed law, if the Police can cancel their licenses if they find any group moving around with three or more licence guns.
Any case of the contract mafia bagging a contract by not allowing others to bid for the tenders or pressurizing the officials concerned would face the prospect of the contract being cancelled and strict legal action against under the proposed Act. A state-level organized crime control authority will be set up to have the powers to cancel contracts grabbed forcefully.
The cases registered under the UPCOCA would be tried in special courts and the courts would work on the guidelines of fast disposal of cases on day-to-day hearing basis. Once the case registers under the UPCOCA, the criminal would not be able to obtain ex-parte bail. The second registration of case would be resulted in the non-bailable warrants.
The UP government has also included the provisions to restrict any misuse of the UPCOCA. The written permission of the Divisional Commissioner and DIG would be mandatory before the filling of FIR under the UPCOCA. Similarly, the written permission of IG, concerned in the case, will be obligatory before submitting the chargesheet in a court of law.
Prinicipal secretary will be the head of the crime control authority to monitor the activities of the mafia in state. The ADG-law and order, ADG crime, and special secretary, justice, would be the members of the authority and they will have the poser to take on the economic might of criminal elements in the state.
According to Mayawati, the proposed act is actually a part of her promise made during the election campaign when she had told the people that she would take strong steps make the state free form the mis-rule and jungle raj of previous Samajwadi Party regime.
Introducing new acts are always a welcome step if it aims to curb the crime but these acts become mere a tool of taking political revenge in the hands of ruling government. We can hope Mayawati would show greater will-power to use this act just to eliminate the criminal elements from the state not against her political foes.
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