Jharkhand To Introduce Anti-Lynching Bill, Provisions Include Life Imprisonment To Death Penalty For Guilty

The proposed bill provides for punishment with death sentence or rigorous imprisonment for life and with fine which shall not be less than ten lakh rupees in case of death of the victim.

File Photo: Twitter/@HemantSorenJMM

New Delhi: Jharkhand government is planning to introduce a bill to take strict action against the act of mob lynching. The draft of the ‘Prevention of Lynching’ bill has been prepared and is likely to be introduced in the winter session of the state legislative Assembly, news agency ANI reported. 

Talking about it, Jharkhand Minority Affairs Minister Hafizul Hasan told ANI: “This is for all. Making of the law is underway... The law is to stop such incidents like mob lynching in future and give a sense of fear to those who commit such crimes. This fear was very less in previous government. Such incidents will go down after this law is enforced.” 

The Jharkhand (Prevention of Lynching) Bill, 2021 seeks stringent punishment for those found guilty of mob lynching. As per ANI, it has the provision of sentencing rigorous life imprisonment to the death penalty for the convict. There is also the provision of a fine of not less than Rs 10 lakh in the event of the death of the victim. 

Notably, in 2019, 24-year-old Tabrez Ansari was allegedly tied to a pole and thrashed with sticks by a mob at Dhatkidih village in Jharkhand’s Seraikela Kharsawan district on suspicion of theft.

He was purportedly seen in a video being forced to chant “Jai Shri Ram” and “Jai Hanuman” and had later succumbed to his injuries.

According to news agency PTI, the proposed bill has defined lynching as “any act or series of acts of violence or aiding, abetting or attempting an act of violence, whether spontaneous or planned, by a mob on the grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth, language, dietary practices, sexual orientation, political affiliation, ethnicity or any other ground.”

In case of the act leading to the victim being hurt, there are provisions for punishment with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and with fine which shall not be less than Rs one lakh which may extend up to Rs three lakh, it reported.

The proposed bill also provides that any person despite knowing that any other person is guilty of an offence under this Act assists him with intent to prevent, hinder or interfere with his arrest, trial or punishment “shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and shall also be liable to fine which shall not be less than one lakh rupees and may extend up to three lakh rupees.”
Any person who threatens a witness under this Act shall be punished with imprisonment for a term of upto five years and shall also be liable to fine between Rs 2 lakh and Rs 5 lakh.

PTI reported an official as informing that the Jharkhand (Prevention of Lynching) Bill, 2021 is likely to come up in the ensuing session of Jharkhand Assembly from December 16 to 22.

Notably, the Legislative Assemblies of West Bengal and Rajasthan have already passed anti-lynching legislation.

(With Inputs From Agencies)