Cabinet approves Adjudicating Authority for speedy disposal of benami cases
New Delhi, Oct 24 : The government Wednesday approved setting up of Appellate Tribunal and Adjudicating Authority for speedy disposal of cases related to benami transactions.
The decision was taken at the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad at press briefing.
Earlier this month, the government had notified Sessions courts in 34 states and Union Territories, which will act as special courts for trial of offences under the benami transaction law.
Benami transaction refers transactions made in a fictitious name, or the owner is not aware of the ownership of the property, or the person paying for the property is not traceable.
As per an official release, the Adjudicating Authority and Appellate Tribunal will be based in the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCTD).
Benches of Adjudicating Authority may sit in Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai, and the necessary notification in this regard will be issued after consultation with the Chairperson of the proposed Adjudicating Authority.
"The approval will result in effective and better administration of cases referred to the Adjudicating Authority and speedy disposal of appeals filed against the order of the Adjudicating Authority before the Appellate Tribunal," the release said.
The appointment of the Adjudicating Authority, it added, would provide first stage review of administrative action under the the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act (PBPT) Act.
Establishment of the proposed Appellate Tribunal would provide an appellate mechanism for the order passed by the Adjudicating Authority under the PBPT Act.
The rules and all the provisions of the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act came into force on November 1, 2016.
After coming into effect, the existing Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act, 1988, was renamed as the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988.
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Woman dies by suicide amid alleged social boycott, five booked in Yadgir
Yadgir (Karnataka) (PTI): A 46-year-old woman allegedly died by suicide after facing sustained social boycott and harassment by members of her community, police said on Thursday.
An FIR has been registered in Yadgir district based on the complaint lodged by Yellappa Suryavamshi (50).
Suryavamshi alleged that the victim Kamalamma (46), a resident of Girinagar area in Yadgir, allegedly jumped into the Bhima river near Joladadagi village between the evening of March 14 and the morning of March 15, following alleged mental harassment linked to a social boycott imposed on her family.
Suryavamshi alleged that their family had been ostracised by members of their community over an unverified accusation involving their son.
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“A village panchayat held on September 8, 2025, had directed the family not to interact with a relative and imposed a 10-year social boycott, asking them to vacate the village,” Suryavamshi said in his complaint.
Following the decision, the family had shifted to a rented house in Yadgir town.
However, earlier this month, when the woman returned to their native locality, a group of individuals allegedly confronted her and reiterated the boycott, the FIR said.
“Despite the earlier boycott, she was again prevented from staying in the village and was subjected to continued mental harassment,” the complainant said.
The complainant further alleged that even relatives who offered shelter to the woman were threatened with similar social ostracism.
“Those who gave her refuge were warned of facing a fresh boycott by convening another panchayat,” Suryavamshi alleged.
Unable to bear the alleged humiliation and pressure, the woman is said to have taken the extreme step, police said.
Her body was recovered from the river on March 15 and shifted to the district government hospital mortuary in Yadgir, police said.
Based on the complaint, a case has been registered against five individuals under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), police said, adding that further investigation is underway.
