Amendment to Unlawful Activities bill tabled in LS
The government on Thursday introduced a bill to amend the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in the Lok Sabha, to combat terror funding and counter threats to the country’s “economic security.”
The proposed amendment seeks to bring private companies, societies and trusts under the legislation’s ambit.Those convicted might be awarded a sentence ranging from seven years imprisonment to life term, apart from a cash fine varying between Rs 5 and 10 crore.
The amendment also describes raising of funds for terrorist activities a punishable offence under law, even if the money is collected from “legitimate sources.”
Further, the scope of “proceeds of terrorism” has been enlarged to include “any property” intended to be used for terrorist activities, amid reports on terrorist organisations receiving funds through fake Indian currency notes.
The Bill proposes to confer power upon the court to attach or forfeit property equivalent to the value of counterfeit Indian currency involved in the offence. It also raised the years of association to be deemed unlawful, from two to five years.
