AHMEDABAD, SEPT 2
The Gujarat cabinet on Wednesday gave its nod for issuance of an ordinance to amend the Prevention of Anti-Social Activities (PASA) Act, which provides for preventive detention of habitual offenders.
The approval was given during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, said Minister of State for Home Pradeepsinh Jadeja.
The ordinance will be issued soon to carry out the amendment as the state Assembly is not in session, he said.
The amendment would extend the application of the PASA Act to cybercriminals, loan sharks, gambling den owners, and sexual offenders.
In its current form, the act can be invoked against those involved in offences under the Indian Penal Code, Arms Act, drug offences, bootlegging, gambling, prostitution, and cow slaughter.
Under the PASA Act, habitual offenders can be held in preventive detention on the orders of district magistrate for up to one year.
After detaining a person, the authorities have to inform the PASA Advisory Board within three weeks, and the board, headed by a retired high court judge, has to inform the government if the detention is valid or not.
If the board opines that there are no sufficient grounds, the detention order is revoked.
With the amendment, a person committing crimes under the Information Technology Act could also be detained under the PASA Act.
It would also cover those involved in cyber frauds as well as those found guilty of spreading communal hatred using the cyberspace, Jadeja said.
The amendment would also extend the application of the act to those involved in sexual harassment offenses under the IPC as well as the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, and those involved in harassing borrowers or taking away of a borrower’s property illegally.
