Tuesday, March 29 2005 13:02 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: In a determined bid to rein in criminals in Bihar, the State administration is contemplating to promulgate an ordinance similar to the "Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act-99 (MCOCA)" within a week to sternly deal with the lawbreakers.

After a meeting with Governor Buta Singh, chief secretary K A H Subramanian said today (Mar 29, 2005) that the process for enacting the ordinance was "at an advance stage and law department is being consulted for its promulgation".

"The new ordinance will come in handy to punish those who commit criminal offences denying them bail for a longer period," he said adding a copy of the MCOCA had already been obtained from the Maharashtra Government.

Referring to the Patna High Court order for arrest of more than 20,000 absconders in connection with various criminal offences, Subramanian, who is heading a three-member task force to oversee the stepped up operation to track down them, he said adding 15,000 such criminals, including over 500 dreaded ones, have already been taken into custody.

The chief secretary would submit the action taken report to the court tomorrow (Mar 30, 2005).