Mangaluru (The Hindu): Mangaluru City Police Commissioner S. Murugan has invoked the Goonda Act (The Karnataka Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Drug Offenders, Gamblers, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders, and Slum Grabbers Act, 1985) against 31-year-old Safan Hussain, who is an accused in the rape of a medical student in Deralakatte on December 18, 2013.

Safan was among the eight accused arrested in the case following a hot chase by a team of policemen and advocate Asha Nayak. The victim had approached Ms. Nayak after she had been harassed by the accused, who had recorded the rape on their mobile phone.

Mr. Murugan said apart from the sexual assault of the medical student, Safan was involved in as many as 19 other criminal cases reported in the last 10 years. It includes cases of robbery, murder, rioting, attempt to murder, dacoity, and assault of police officers. Safan was a rowdy element, he said.

Mr. Murugan said a report was sent to the State government invoking the Goonda Act on November 21.

The government gave concurrence on November 28. Following this, Safan was moved to the Ballari Central Prison. The decision to invoke Goonda Act will be reviewed by a committee headed by a Karnataka High Court Judge, he said.

Fifth to be booked

In all, the city police have so far invoked the provisions of the Goonda Act against five persons. The accused against whom the provisions are invoked have to be kept in a separate enclosure for a particular period.

The city police first invoked Goonda Act provisions against underworld operative Pradeep Mendon on September 3, 2013. Then it was Illiyas, the head of target gang that was allegedly involved in extorting wealthy persons by taking photographs of them in compromising positions with women, on February 4, 2014. It was invoked against Keshav Poojary, alias Chony, from Ullal on October 30, 2014 for his alleged continuance in activities that in disturbs peace in the city. It was invoked against Manoj on November 1, 2014.