Former Samajwadi Party MLA Arif Anwar Hashmi was declared a history-sheeter in November by the Uttar Pradesh government. The two-time former MLA from Utraula is currently spending time in jail. The UP administration has started attaching his property. On December 11, the administration attached property belonging to Hashmi worth 50-crore, including four luxury cars, under the Gangster Act.
https://twitter.com/balrampurpolice/status/1337387868352696320?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwA video of the announcement by the administration has gone viral on social media. In the video, an announcer can be heard starting with “suno suno suno”, and giving details of the attachment of the properties. The announcement was accompanied by the beating of drums, giving a dramatic effect to the process.
Hemant Kutiya, Superintendent of Police, said in a statement, “Property of Hashmi worth over Rs 50 crore has been attached under the Gangsters Act. AG Hashmi Degree college, Utraula; National Mahavidyalaya, Rehra Bazar; National Modern Inter College; and AG Hashmi Inter College, Sadullah Nagar were among those attached by the administration.” He further stated that that four luxury vehicles worth over Rs 65 lakh were also seized.
https://twitter.com/DineshMishraNBT/status/1337394244705689601?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwArif Anwar Ansari was declared a history-sheeter in November
There are two criminal cases filed against Hashmi. In November, a history sheet was opened in his name, and a case under the Gangster Act was registered. “The attachment of property is done if it is attained by illegal means,” Kutiya added. As per the reports, first case against Hashmi was registered in 2018. On 5th September 2020, Arif Anwar Hashmi was jailed for fraud. During his stay in jail, eight new cases of cheating were registered against him. In all these cases, he was accused of illegally occupying government and private land. The first case of fraud against Hashmi was registered in 2018 at Rehra Bazaar Police Station. A case of forgery has also been registered against him in Khorade Police Station in Gonda.In October, he was declared the kingpin of a land mafia gang.
What does the law says?
As per Section 14 of the Gangster Act, the district magistrate has the power to attach property, both moveable and immoveable, in case there is a reason to believe that the accused gangster acquired the property as commission for an offense triable under the law. It will be the booked person’s responsibility to prove to the administration that the attached property(s) was not accumulated by illegal means, and they have to present evidence to support the claim.