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NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday sought responses from the Union and State governments on a PIL seeking a direction for confiscation of properties of those convicted for human and organ trafficking and smuggling in drugs, gold, arms and sandalwood.
A bench of Justices Hemant Gupta and Sudhanshu Dhulia asked the governments to respond in three weeks to a PIL filed by advocate-activist Ashwini Upadhyay, who sought a direction to make confiscation of properties of those convicted in the abovementioned offences to deter unscrupulous elements from endangering lives of innocent citizens and weakening the country’s economy.
He also sought a direction from the SC to make the sentences for those convicted in two or more of these offences, consecutive and not concurrent as is the present practice. Upadhyay said the governments must “take appropriate steps to seize entire benami properties and disproportionate assets and invoke National Security Act against criminals involved in human trafficking and smuggling.”
He said these heinous criminal activities are rampant in Indo-Bangladesh and Indo-Myanmar border. “Not only human trafficking but also smuggling in sandalwood, gold, arms & ammunition and Narcotic Drugs are rampant through porous Bangladesh and Myanmar border covering states of Assam, Tripura, Mizoram, Meghalaya, West Bengal, Manipur and Nagaland,” he said.
Referring to the rampant illegal trade in banned drugs, the petitioner said, “A total of 72,779 NDPS cases were registered across the country in the same year. Maximum cases were registered in Maharashtra (14,158), followed by Punjab (11,536) and Uttar Pradesh (10,198).”
He said gold smuggling is also widespread in India. “It is estimated that up to one-fourth of the total volume of gold entering India comes through illicit trade. India imports around 800-900 tons of gold every year while annual consumption is around 1,000 tons. This suggests that up to 200 tons of gold is being smuggled,” he added.
A bench of Justices Hemant Gupta and Sudhanshu Dhulia asked the governments to respond in three weeks to a PIL filed by advocate-activist Ashwini Upadhyay, who sought a direction to make confiscation of properties of those convicted in the abovementioned offences to deter unscrupulous elements from endangering lives of innocent citizens and weakening the country’s economy.
He also sought a direction from the SC to make the sentences for those convicted in two or more of these offences, consecutive and not concurrent as is the present practice. Upadhyay said the governments must “take appropriate steps to seize entire benami properties and disproportionate assets and invoke National Security Act against criminals involved in human trafficking and smuggling.”
He said these heinous criminal activities are rampant in Indo-Bangladesh and Indo-Myanmar border. “Not only human trafficking but also smuggling in sandalwood, gold, arms & ammunition and Narcotic Drugs are rampant through porous Bangladesh and Myanmar border covering states of Assam, Tripura, Mizoram, Meghalaya, West Bengal, Manipur and Nagaland,” he said.
Referring to the rampant illegal trade in banned drugs, the petitioner said, “A total of 72,779 NDPS cases were registered across the country in the same year. Maximum cases were registered in Maharashtra (14,158), followed by Punjab (11,536) and Uttar Pradesh (10,198).”
He said gold smuggling is also widespread in India. “It is estimated that up to one-fourth of the total volume of gold entering India comes through illicit trade. India imports around 800-900 tons of gold every year while annual consumption is around 1,000 tons. This suggests that up to 200 tons of gold is being smuggled,” he added.
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