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Rules out POTA-like law

NEW DELHI: Rejecting the BJP’s demand, the Centre on Saturday ruled out introduction of a POTA-like law. Instead, it asked the States to raise special forces to tackle the menace of terror, which was fast spreading its tentacles across the country.

Addressing a two-day conference of Directors-General and Inspectors-General of Police here, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil said the relevant portions of the repealed Act had been incorporated in the existing anti-terror law.

“We have laws which have provisions to deal with terrorism. They should be used properly.”

Mr. Patil said when the Prevention of Terrorism Act was repealed, some relevant chapters were transferred into the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act “lock, stock and barrel.” The chapters had provisions useful to control terrorist activities, free flow of funds to terror groups and relating to the admissibility of certain kinds of evidence collected with the help of electronic equipment.

There were provisions in POTA which went against the basic principles of criminal jurisprudence relating to the onus of proof and admissibility of the confessions, not made according to the principles adopted in the Criminal Procedure Code. “It is not possible to have a law like POTA on the statute book,” Mr. Patil said.

“Terrorists have begun to use military tactics. The Union Government has decided to raise Cobra battalions. They [States] are also expected to have a portion of their forces trained for countering terrorist activities,” he said.

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