Cops wave PASA Act to net land sharks in the state

Gujarat Police will invoke PASA (Prevention of Anti-Social Activities) Act in land grab cases,especially against those who have grabbed government land,farmlands or land meant for economically weaker sections.

Gujarat Police will invoke PASA (Prevention of Anti-Social Activities) Act in land grab cases,especially against those who have grabbed government land,farmlands or land meant for economically weaker sections.

Ahmedabad Police Commissioner Sudhir Sinha,who issued the notification last month when he was the Additional DGP (law and order),said,There is a provision in PASA Act under which land-grabbers can be booked once there is sufficient evidence against them.

Police sources said PASA Act is now being invoked as most land grabbers,who are usually booked for fraud and forgery under the Indian Penal Code,are able to obtain bail. In case of an arrest under the PASA Act,land grab becomes a non-bailable offence.

According to the notification,the land mafia usually usurps government land and farm land. Whenever victims in such cases approach police,a cognisable case is registered. The police must register FIRs in such cases and take strict action, Sinha said.

There are several scams in housing schemes where houses allotted to the poor are grabbed by builders or land agents and victims do not come forward to complain,police sources said.

The notification also instructed the police to register a fresh FIR against an accused who is out on bail but is found to be grabbing land again.

Local police have also been asked to ensure protection to victims or complainants in such cases.

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Rajkot and Surat police commissionerates have,in the past,invoked the PASA Act against land-grabbers.

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