New Delhi: The Cabinet on Thursday cleared the amendments in Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), which will expand the definition of "terrorist act" by covering activities affecting economic security like money laundering, terror financing and circulation of fake Indian currency notes.
The amended Bill was cleared at the meeting of Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi, sources said.
Through the amendments, the Government wants to confer more powers upon the court to provide for attachment or forfeiture of property equivalent to the counterfeit Indian currency involved in the offence, property equivalent to the value of the proceeds of terrorism involved in the offence besides others.
The UAPA Amendment Bill was first introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 29, 2011. The Bill was later referred to the Standing Committee on Home Affairs on January 13, 2012.
The amendments were discussed and cleared at the meeting of UPA Coordination Committee attended by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the decision on the Land Acquisition Bill was deferred by the Cabinet.
Sources said major changes are expected in the Land Acquition Bill and in a huge relief for real estate agents and state government, there will now be no compensation with retrospective effect. Unlike the Standing Committe recommendations, the land can be acquired by the government for public-private partenrship but consent of 80 per cent of affected families will be required.
(With additional information from PTI)
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