The Punjab government goes full Goonda

The Punjab government has introduced the Punjab Control of Habitual Offenders and Anti-Social Behaviour Bill, 2026, which grants executive powers to freeze bank accounts, seize property, and impose surveillance based on intelligence assessments. The bill draws parallels to colonial-era laws like the 1871 Criminal Tribes Act and the 1918 Restriction of Habitual Offenders Act, which targeted communities and individuals without judicial process.