Drawing flak from the Opposition on deteriorating law and order situation in Bihar, the police has decided to bust organised crime syndicates and seize assets of economic offenders, a top police officer said today.
"We have written to the Centre for permission to exercise powers under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act to seize assets and other properties up to Rs five crore of those running organised syndicates in Bihar," Director General of Police (DGP) Abhayanand told PTI.
"Our proposal is pending with the Union Finance Ministry in an advanced stage," he said, adding, he hoped the state police, in collaboration with the Directorate of Enforcement will be able to successfully crack down on organised crime syndicates running liquor, sand or mining rackets in Bihar.
Those running organised crime syndicates related to kidnapping and evasion of sales tax will also be dealt with sternly and their properties amassed through corruption or crime will be confiscated, Abhayanand said.
The drive against economic offenders will not only boost the law and order situation in Bihar, but also swell the state's coffers, the DGP said, adding that the state police had on February 20 last, carried out simultaneous raids at 16 premises of public servants and recovered documents related to ill-gotten wealth.
However, there was a need to launch raids at regular intervals on premises of corrupt public servants and those operating organised crime syndicates and seize their properties for which the state police required special powers and assistance from central agencies, he said.
