Auction criminals' properties at lower rates, demands outfit

A right-wing outfit today demanded that properties owned by underworld dons like Dawood Ibrahim be auctioned at cheaper rates to remove fear of criminals from minds of common people.
"Time has now come when government should revisit its policies of auctioning properties of gangsters, including fugitive don Dawood Ibrahim. The reserve price of such properties must be kept very low as against the market price," Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha president Swami Chakrapani told reporters here.
Last year, Chakrapani had purchased Dawood's car in an auction here only to burn it down later.
"This (auctioning of tainted properties at cheaper rates) will have manifold positive consequences. Cheaper reserve prices will not only attract a lot of applicants, but will also eliminate the fear factor created by these dons and (would expose) their actual standing," he said.

Last year he had purchased Dawood's auctioned car for a mere Rs 32,000 and a few days later set it afire in a symbolic protest against the gangster.
Chakrapani had also claimed that he was receiving threats, and had lodged complaints with Delhi Police.
"This is very upsetting that at one side the government gifts a prime piece of land to (actress and BJP MP) Hema Malini at a pittance, but keep such a high reserve price of the properties of these dons. What would be wrong if the reserve price of these properties of dons are kept at par with that (at lower prices)," he asked.