Chandigarh, Dec 26 (PTI) A total of 178 illegal properties built by criminals and drug traffickers with the proceeds of crime have been demolished in Haryana, Home Minister Anil Vij said on Monday even as a heated exchange took place between Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and INLD legislator Abhay Chautala over the issue in the Assembly.

During the Question Hour on the first day of the three-day Assembly session, Vij said the state government was tightening the noose around criminals and drug smugglers, who have built illegal properties with the proceeds of crime.

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He was replying to a question raised by Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) MLA Abhay Singh Chautala regarding the demolition of houses of people involved in drug trafficking.

“A total of 178 (illegal) properties including 72 related to criminals involved in narcotics have been bulldozed,” Vij said.

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He said because of the state government's action, criminals were running out of the state. The government will not hesitate in taking strict action against such people, he added.

“Either leave hooliganism or Haryana. We will not allow anyone to indulge in criminal activities,” the minister said. “We will enact more stringent laws…”

Earlier, there was a verbal duel between Chief Minister Khattar and Chautala over the issue.

Khattar said terming the state government's action of demolishing properties of people associated with drug trafficking as “destructive” was ethically wrong.

Using such words shows that the Opposition is not happy with the action taken by the government against drug traffickers. We will continue to take the strictest action against the smugglers, he added.

The Opposition should be clear whether they are with the government, or are in support of those involved in this illegal trade, the chief minister said.

Khattar said if during investigation, it is found that the immovable assets of these criminals have been constructed by wealth being amassed by them through proceeds of crime then all such properties will be demolished.

Also, the strictest action will be taken against those who are found working in tandem with these accused, he added.

The chief minister said such an atmosphere has to be created in society that even the family members of these wrongdoers should disown them. Only then this evil can be uprooted from society, he added.

Earlier, Chautala asked the state government whether it will demolish the house built by a family as a whole if one of the members gets involved in criminal activities.

He further asked whether the house will be razed if the family has disowned the person who is a criminal.

The INLD MLA claimed that there had been many complaints wherein the houses were demolished by the government despite the families having disowned such criminals.

The House Speaker also objected to a remark of Chautala against the chief minister.

The INLD legislator also cited a case in Sirsa district in which, he claimed, that a house was demolished despite the villagers giving proof that such property was not in the name of a person involved in a drug case.

To which, the Speaker asked Chautala to bring such cases to the notice of the government.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)