Centre may ask Maharashtra to invoke MCOCA against Sonawane's killers

In a bid to ensure that officers don't face the fate of the Malegaon additional collector Yashwant Sonawane, the Centre may ask Maharashtra government to invoke MCOCA against the accused even as it plans to empower bureaucrats to prevent a repeat of such incidents.

According to government sources, the Centre may write soon to Maharashtra government to book the accused under Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) so that it becomes a deterrent for criminals in targeting government officials.

Meanwhile, government could also set up a multi-disciplinary nodal agency to extend assistance to junior officials in helping them tackle cases under various central and state laws such as the Forest Act.

Sources said some reports in the past too have looked into the issue of empowering officials so that they don't have to wait for police assistance while carrying out their duties.

Sonawane was set on fire by the oil mafia in Malegaon for having cracked down on the operations of the adulteration of kerosene.