Gujarat passes contentious anti-terror Bill

Ahmedabad,Mar 31: Aiming to strengthen state anti-terror laws, Gujarat government on Tuesday passed the controversial Gujarat Control of Organised Crime (GUJCOC) Bill in the Assembly.

The Bill was passed retaining some of the controversial provisions which was earlier rejected in 2004 and 2009 by the then President AJP Abdul Kalam and Pratibha Patil.

The Bill which was renamed as Gujarat Control of Terrorism and Organised Crime (GCTOC) Bill 2015, was not cleared by the earlier NDA and UPA government for last one decade.

The GUJCOC bill is on the lines of the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

Reacting to the development, Congress said that the provisions related to telephone interception and confession made before police officer being considered as evidence in court is cruel.

"Intention behind the GUJCOC isn't correct. They've done it for political gain,"said Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil.

Opposition had asked government to amend some of the controversial clauses of the bill which allows authorities to intercept phone calls. It also allows investigators more time, and even the confessions made before senior police officers can be submitted as evidence in court.

"Gujarat is facing threat of terrorism and economic offences. Pakistan has become the epicenter of world terrorism that's why this act necessary for Gujarat," said a senior leader of BJP

Human rights activists said that this means suspects in custody can be tortured or coerced into making statements that can be used against them.

OneIndia News