New Delhi: Displaying seriousness to deal with piracy, the government today introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha that provides for recognising it as a crime and lays down norms for prosecution of pirates apprehended by Indian authorities with punishment up to life term.
The Piracy Bill, 2012, has been brought as India does not have a separate domestic legislation on piracy and prosecution for piracy as a crime has not been included in the Indian Penal Code, 1860 or in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.
The bill, brought in the backdrop of rising incidence of piracy including within India’s Exclusive Economic Zone, is aimed at bringing “certainty” and “clarity” in the law and provides sound basis for effective prosecution of pirates held by the Indian authorities irrespective of their nationalities.
The bill, moved by Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed, provides punishment for an act of piracy, attempt to commit piracy and accomplice to piracy and has a provision for extradition of persons involved in an act of piracy.
It confers power on any gazetted officer of the central government or of a state government with powers of arrest of any person, investigation and prosecution exercisable by a police officer under the Code of Criminal Procedure.
The legislation provides for setting up of designated courts for speedy trial of offences of piracy and territorial jurisdiction of each such court.
Whoever commits an act of piracy shall be punished with imprisonment for life except where the accused has caused death in committing the act of piracy or attempt thereof in which case he may be punished with death, according to the bill. (PTI)
