Police caution house owners in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Police in the State capital, along with the district administration and Revenue officials, are increasingly seizing premises where illegal activities are taking place, as was seen in recent instances where several houses were seized after police found that they were being misused as hubs for human trafficking, gambling and also storage of gutkha and […]

Hyderabad: Police in the State capital, along with the district administration and Revenue officials, are increasingly seizing premises where illegal activities are taking place, as was seen in recent instances where several houses were seized after police found that they were being misused as hubs for human trafficking, gambling and also storage of gutkha and drugs.

With criminals opting for rented houses in residential colonies and other premises in business locations, the police have decided to act tougher with the seizure of all such premises.

“Once the First Information Report is registered by the police for illegal activities on a premise, we are ensuring that steps are being taken quickly to seize it and thus prevent it from being misused again,” a senior official from the Cyberabad Police Special Operations Team said.

For seizing a premise, the order should be signed and issued by a district magistrate level official. As the Commissioners of Police enjoy magisterial power and are designated as Additional District Magistrates, they have powers to issue seizure orders.

“With the orders of the Police Commissioners, we can seize the place. If an investigation officer is successful in proving that the said house or premise has been used for illegal activities, the place along with the movable and immovable properties can be seized and the bank accounts too can be frozen,” the official said, adding that as per law, places can be seized the very first time when illegal activities are organized.

Usually, the seizure order will be in effect for about a year and during this, the premises should not be used for any purpose. “Once the seizure period is over, the owner has to file a petition before the local court concerned to claim back or release of the property,” an official from the Rachakonda Police said.

Police said most of the houses and premises across the city where such illegal activities were organised were rented. The suspects use them for a short span and leave, but the owner has to face the consequences.

Use ‘Hawk Eye’, citizens urged

Police officials requested citizens to use the ‘Hawk Eye’ police app to be on the safe side. “Our Hawk Eye app can be easily downloaded on any smartphone. It has a specific option for registering details of tenants, servants, plumbers, etc. Identification proof like Aadhaar, Election Card and others can be uploaded. The details will be registered at the local police station through the app,” an official from the Hyderabad Task Force said.

Police said uploading details on Hawk Eye would help keep tenants away from committing offences in the house as they are being watched by the police.

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