Khanna police trace thief’s house built from crime proceeds to UP

In a surprising turn of events, a thief who stole valuables worth Rs 70 lakh from his landlord’s house in Khanna and quietly used the proceeds of crime to construct a house in Uttar Pradesh got a shock when the Khanna police moved swiftly to attach the property.

Acting under the new provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, the police approached the District Magistrate of Shravasti in Uttar Pradesh with a petition to attach the building, which was allegedly built with the proceeds of the major theft. The proactive step highlights the enhanced powers now available with law-enforcement agencies to seize properties derived from criminal activity and prevent offenders from enjoying fruits of their crime.

The suspect, Nanku, alias Pappu Chaudhary, a resident of Shravasti district in UP, previously worked as a domestic help for a local businessman in Khanna. During his employment, he, along with his wife, reportedly stole gold and silver ornaments, valued at Rs 70 lakh. After the suspect was nabbed and investigation was carried out, police teams traced the house, which was built by him after selling the stolen jewellery. Even jewellers of UP who bought the stolen stuff were also apprehended by the police and stolen valuables were seized from them.

SSP, Khanna, Darpan Ahluwalia, told The Tribune that after receiving the theft complaint from a house owner, Savela Kanwal, the Khanna police had arrested Nanku and his wife on March 1. During their interrogation, they confessed to having committed the crime and also admitted that stolen ornaments were sold to some jewellers and their relatives in UP for Rs 70 lakh. Of this, Rs 40 lakh was spent on constructing a house in UP, some amount was given to their relatives and the rest was spent on leading a lavish life. The police even found building material shop owners and other contractors engaged in constructing the house for the thief.

“Though the concept of attachment and consequent forfeiture under criminal legislation is not new. It existed in the form of Criminal Law Amendment Ordinance, 1944, as well as under various other statutes such as PMLA, NDPS, PCA, UAPA, etc. However, Section 107 of the BNSS provides a comprehensive framework for the attachment, forfeiture or restoration of property believed to be derived from criminal activities,” asserted SSP.

Dr Ahluwalia maintained that the new provision had been added to the BNSS, 2023, in the form of Section 107 for attachment and forfeiture of the property, which was derived or obtained, directly or indirectly, as a result of a criminal activity or from the commission of any offence.

“The Khanna police are in regular touch with the District Magistrate so that attachment process can be completed in a short time and the victim can be compensated for his loss,” she said.