Context:
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Government’s claim: the proposed law is a remedy against organised crime.
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Opposition claim: UPCOCA could potentially be used as a tool to suppress rivals, settle political vendetta and target specific communities.
Features of the UPCOCA:
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The UPCOCA law would give special powers to the police to arrest offenders and members of the crime syndicates.
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The State would be empowered to seize the property of such people after taking the consent of a special court constituted to hear the cases.
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Properties acquired through illegal activities and organised crime would also be seized.
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Some of the crimes defined under the UPCOCA are: land grab [government and non-state property], illegal mining, manufacture and sale of illegal medicines and illicit liquor, money laundering, wildlife smuggling, extortion, abduction syndicate, hafta collection, murder and conspiracy to murder and white-collar offences.
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If found guilty, offenders would face a minimum jail term of three years and a maximum of life imprisonment or even death sentence.
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The accused will not be granted bail for six months after the arrest.
Questions:
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Do we need special laws like UPCOCA, MACOCA to handle crime?