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Cabinet may discuss Anti-Piracy Bill today
The Cabinet on Thursday is likely to take up for discussion the Anti-Piracy Bill, which seeks to award harsh punishments to sea pirates, hold speedy trials and give more powers to Navy and Coast Guard.
Sources said the Bill seeks to provide for life imprisonment to pirates, setting up of designated courts for holding speedy trials and empower Navy and Coast Guard to deal with pirates in international waters. At present, there are no provisions to act against pirates.
In the absence of a stern law, about 100 Somali pirates are being tried in India for charges like trespassing, attacking a naval vessel, rioting and illegally entering the country. Neither the Indian Penal Code (IPC) nor the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) define piracy.
The Bill defines piracy for the first time. As regards punishment, it says, "Whoever commits an act of piracy shall be punished with imprisonment for life except where the accused has caused death in committing the act of piracy or attempt thereof in which case he may be punished with death and in addition the designated court may also subject to any restitution or forfeiture of property involved in the commission of the offence."
Besides the Anti-Piracy Bill, the Cabinet Committee of Infrastructure is scheduled to take up for clearance construction of three highways in Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Andhra Pradesh, the sources said.
The Cabinet on Thursday is likely to take up for discussion the Anti-Piracy Bill, which seeks to award harsh punishments to sea pirates, hold speedy trials and give more powers to Navy and Coast Guard.
Sources said the Bill seeks to provide for life imprisonment to pirates, setting up of designated courts for holding speedy trials and empower Navy and Coast Guard to deal with pirates in international waters. At present, there are no provisions to act against pirates.
In the absence of a stern law, about 100 Somali pirates are being tried in India for charges like trespassing, attacking a naval vessel, rioting and illegally entering the country. Neither the Indian Penal Code (IPC) nor the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) define piracy.
The Bill defines piracy for the first time. As regards punishment, it says, "Whoever commits an act of piracy shall be punished with imprisonment for life except where the accused has caused death in committing the act of piracy or attempt thereof in which case he may be punished with death and in addition the designated court may also subject to any restitution or forfeiture of property involved in the commission of the offence."
Besides the Anti-Piracy Bill, the Cabinet Committee of Infrastructure is scheduled to take up for clearance construction of three highways in Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Andhra Pradesh, the sources said.
