Rajya Sabha nod to amend Foreigners Act

Rajya Sabha has passed the Foreigners (Amendment) Bill, 1998, which proposes to amend the Foreigners Act of 1946 to increase the maximum punishment for violations up to eight years from the present two years and fine of up to Rs 50,000.

The offences committed by foreigners like overstaying or colluding with terrorist will now undergo proceedings in sessions court.Minister of state for home Haren Pathak said the amendments brought about will fill the loopholes present in the current provisions. 

He said that cases under the Foreigners Act are at present cognisable, non-bailable and triable by the first class magistrate. However, the accused very often manage to obtain bail under section 437 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.