Chain snatchers to face up to 10-yr jail term in Gujarat

New Delhi, May 22

President Ram Nath Kovind has given assent to a Gujarat legislation under which chain snatchers in the state will face up to 10 years’ imprisonment instead of three years elsewhere in the country.

The Criminal Law (Gujarat Amendment) Bill 2018 will provide a maximum of 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs 25,000 if anyone in Gujarat is convicted for the crime of chain snatching and causing injuries in the process.

The President has given his assent to the Bill recently, a home ministry official said.

In the rest of the country, chain snatchers are normally charged with Section 379 of the IPC, which is related to the crime of theft and invites a punishment of up to three years in jail or with fine, or with both.

The Gujarat Assembly in September 2018 had amended Section 379 of the IPC by adding two clauses, IPC 379(A) and 379(B), thus incorporating the stringent punishment, the official said.

The Gujarat Government enacted the law as the punishment for theft under Section 379 of the IPC is considered to be insufficient to deter the criminals as they often get bail, another official said. — PTI

Getting tough 

• For an attempt to snatch chain, accused will get minimum 5 and maximum 7 years of imprisonment
• For chain snatching, accused will be liable to get 7 years’ imprisonment
• If, while committing the offence, the accused injures somebody, he will be liable to get an imprisonment of up to 10 years