Mangaluru: To tackle the surge in recurring criminal acts, the Mangaluru City Police have opted for a more aggressive enforcement of the Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act (KCOCA). Authorities have noticed that once offenders are granted bail, many resume their unlawful conduct without fear of consequences.
To disrupt this cycle, officials aim to press charges under KCOCA, which imposes stricter penalties and makes bail approval significantly harder. This move is intended to deter repeat offenders and dismantle organised criminal networks.
So far, KCOCA has been invoked against six suspects. These include two individuals from Mumbai, caught deceiving people by offering fake overseas employment opportunities. The other four were charged for threatening and extorting a fellow inmate from within prison walls.
Importantly, even those with no previous convictions can be booked under the Act if they are found to be part of a criminal gang. Being associated with an organised syndicate can lead to a minimum five-year prison term, regardless of active involvement.
Enforced since 2000, KCOCA is designed to combat organised crime and terrorism. It gives law enforcement broader powers, including the ability to deny bail and seek harsher sentences. While standard laws may lead to a three-year term, KCOCA mandates a minimum of five years, with life imprisonment as the upper limit.
“If an individual is already involved in two criminal cases and commits another, we will apply KCOCA to ensure stricter action,” said Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy.