Chain Snatching: Habitual offenders can be detained under dangerous activities Act, Says High Court

Observing that chain-snatching has led to the deaths of women, the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay HC has ruled that habitual offenders can be put under preventive detention under the dangerous activities Act.

A division bench of Justices T V Nalawade & M G Sewlikar passed the order on a plea by 26-year-old Rajendra Chandol, who had challenged his one-year detention order issued by an advisory board. There are five First Information Report (FIR)s against him.

Advocate S D Hiwrekar informed the bench that the detention order was issued against Chandol under the Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Slumlords, Bootleggers, Drug-Offenders & Dangerous Persons Act, 1981. The order was passed on Sept 27, 2019. Hiwrekar submitted that even after Chandol was detained, cases of chain-snatching continued & hence his detention was excessive. Moreover, he argued that the maximum period of detention could only be six months.

Additional Public Prosecutor D R Kale submitted that the detention order was passed after the advisory board agreed that Chandol was a dangerous person.

Justice Nalawade observed, “It can be said that not only the present petitioner but some other persons are involved in such crimes. This circumstance cannot be considered in favour of persons like Chandol. It is certainly a dangerous activity & such activities have caused deaths of some women.”

Source Link