Ordinance against organised crime approved in Arunachal

ITANAGAR, April 7 ? Arunachal Pradesh has armed itself against crime syndicates, extremists, and anti-national elements with the State Cabinet approving the Arunachal Pradesh Control of Organised Crime Ordinance, 2002, which provides for capital punishment, reports PTI. The Ordinance, given the nod yesterday, will be notified after gubernatorial assent, Government spokesman Takam Sanjoy told newsmen here today. The Ordinance would be in tune with Maharashtra?s Prevention of Ordinanised Crime Act was against anti-social and anti-national activities by certain organisations and militant outfits, Sanjoy, the Information and Public Relations Minister, said. The provision of punishment has been kept between three years to life imprisonment besides capital punishment and a fine of between rupees one lakh to rupees five lakh, he said. Special designated courts would be set up to try the cases and judges would be appointed with the approval of the Chief Justice of the Guwahati High Court, he said. Sanjoy, said it would be presented as a bill in the next session of the Arunachal Assembly for adoption. Defining the Ordinance, the minister said, communication or association with a person with actual knowledge or having reason to believe that such a person was engaged in assisting in any manner an organised crime syndicate woud attract punishment.According to another clause, passing on or publication of, without any lawful authority, information likely to assist an organised crime syndicate and passing on or publication of or distribution of any document or matter obtained from it would be brought under the Ordinance. Rendering any assistance, whether financial or otherwise to an organised crime syndicate would be punishable, he said. Asked about the implementation of Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA), Sanjoy said, militant organisations like United Liberation Front of Asom, National Democratic Front of Bodoland, National Sociatist Council of Nagaland (I Muivah), National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) besides the Arunacha Dragon Force were not enlisted under POTA so it had little relevance in Arunachal.