Court convicts varying terms to six men under MCOCA

New Delhi: A Delhi court has awarded varying jail terms to six people under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) for running a syndicate to cheat a large number of people in various States. The convicts -- Vipin Sharma and his wife Hunny, Sachin Sharma, Harshad Alam and his son Aman, and Bhupender Singh -- were held guilty of cheating, forgery, impersonation and criminal conspiracy.

While Vipin was sentenced to 12-year rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs 55 lakh, the others have been awarded 10-year jail term with a fine of Rs 14 lakh each. Special Judge Rakesh Syal also ordered that the 10 victims be paid compensation of Rs 33.8 lakh by the members of the syndicate out of the fine imposed on them. According to police, this was the first conviction under MCOCA in Delhi.

The convicts had cheated people of crores of rupees by assuring them jobs in New Zealand and European countries, the police said, adding that initially they were booked for cheating, criminal conspiracy, etc, but police later invoked MCOCA after finding out that 31 cases had been registered against the accused in Delhi, Haryana and Punjab.

Vipin was the kingpin of the syndicate and a large number of passports in the name of different people with work visas of New Zealand and fake documents such as PAN cards, debit and credit cards, shopping cards, mobile phones and SIM cards were seized from them, the police said.