The police will auction two properties of a wanted gangster, allegedly belonging to the Kaushal gang, on February 26. It is the first initiative of its kind to curb the financial muscle of criminals in the district.

The Pataudi Tehsildar issued a notice on February 18 to auction two pieces of land—1.3 acres in Bar Gujjar village near Manesar and 0.8 acres in Manesar industrial area—allegedly owned by gangster Sube Singh, whose properties were attached by the Gurugram police earlier in January.

These are the only two properties that are registered in Singh’s name and the combined market value of the two properties is Rs 6 crore, the police said. While the land in the village is used for farming and is his ancestral property and the other one was purchased three to four years ago, the police said.

Singh is wanted in more than a dozen of cases of murder, attempt to murder and extortion in Gurugram district and Rewari. The police had announced a total reward of RS 4 lakh for Singh’s arrest. He was declared a proclaimed offender by a district court in April last year. His wife, who was a sarpanch, has also been at large for the last few months, the police said.

The police said anyone can buy these properties and that the police would ensure the buyers are not targeted or harmed by the gangsters.

“Their safety and security will be taken care of. This is happening for the first time, so we will also have to keep a close watch on activities of the gangster whose property is being auctioned,” deputy commissioner of police (Dcp-manesar) Rajesh Kumar said.

On Thursday, police commissioner KK Rao reiterated that, as announced last year, financial and real estate assets of gangsters declared proclaimed offenders would be attached and auctioned to send a clear message that crime will not pay in Gurugram.

“This move is meant to cut the financial support of criminals. They have been involved in extortion cases and have bought properties worth crores of rupees. We had announced earlier and warned them that we would attach their ill-gotten properties, both movable and immovable, and wealth and will auction them,” Rao said.

“The gangsters have either rented out their properties or the land is used by their family members

for farming and that is the other source of income, apart from the money sent by these gangsters. Once the properties are auctioned there will be no financial support for the families living in that property or those who are dependent on it financially,” DCP Kumar said.

The police is preparing a list of more than 50 gangsters whose properties will be attached in court this year. A team of revenue official has submitted verification of properties of the said gangsters whose assets are to be attached.

Around 774 proclaimed offenders, as declared by a city court in the last five years, are on the radar of the Gurugram police. The police crime units have been directed to track these offenders and put them behind bars. Only those gangsters who have been declared proclaimed offenders will be targeted, the police said.

“We have written to each police station to compile a list on proclaimed offenders in their areas and get their immovable properties, vehicles and bank account details verified for the first phase of assets attachment process,” Rao said.

“Once the data is compiled by the police, we get the property attached in court, which will direct the revenue department to auction these assets and submit the report in court,” Rao said.

A senior police official said this initiative will be followed by other districts and they hope that cutting the gangsters’ financial support will make them easier to catch.

First Published: Feb 22, 2019 22:22 IST