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Economic Offence Wing is purely a matter of State Government. It is established under the State Government’s Act, it is a sub department of CID i.e Crime Investigation Department which is subdivision department at Indian State Police.
Around 1970’s Economic Offence Wing was established in every State as with the hike of Economic Offences the need for special cell was realised.
Economic Offence Wing is also widely known as EOW in abbreviated form.
Following functions are performed by Economic Offence Wing:
- EOW run investigation into the cases of fraud, misrepresentation, cheating of Government money involving various departments, organisation and institutions of Government.
- State Government with its discretion can allot its agency to EOW with cases concerning any private entity say private person, company or any corporation, depending on the level of an offence conducted.
- EOW also see into the cases of Government revenue and if in any case of loss, it alarms Government to take appropriate and required follow up actions.
- Cases involving NBFC’s, Chit fun scams, fake stamp papers, multilevel marketing schemes, Ponzi schemes, etc are also investigated by EOW.
- EOW is only permitted to be involved, investigate and enquire into complaints and FIR’s which are allotted to the agency by the Home Department.
- EOW is one of the nodal agencies of the State Government which is entrusted to share information with Central Economic Intelligence Bureau (CEIB).
- EOW represents State Government at the Center in vivid forms for coordination, information sharing and for prevention of economic offences.
- Section 8(1)(H) of Right to Information Act, 2005 covers EOW and is exempted from disclosure of information which is expected is expected to impede the procedure of investigation, prosecution or apprehension of offenders if it got disclosed.
Common acts of Crime which are generally dealt by Economic Offence Wing:
- Corruption
- Fraud
- Cheating
- Invoice Manipulation
- Smuggling
- Cyber Crimes
- Bogus Imports
- Credit Card Frauds
- Counterfeiting
- Money Laundering
Following are the acts that are dealt by Economic Offence Wing:
- Section 255 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 – Counterfeiting Government Stamp
- Section 405 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 – Criminal Breach of Trust
- Section 406 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 – Punishment for criminal breach of trust
- Section 415 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 – Cheating
- Section 417 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 – Punishment for cheating
- Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 – Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property
- Section 463 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 – Forgery
- Section 465 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 – Punishment for forgery
- Section 467 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 – Forgery of valuable security, will, etc.,
- Section 477 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 – Falsification of Accounts
- Section 264 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 – Fraudulent use of false instrument for weighing
- Section 265 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 – Fraudulent use of false weight or measure
- Section 378 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 – Theft
- Section 379 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 – Punishment for theft
- Section 381 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 – Theft by clerk or servant of property in possession of master
- Section 383 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 – Extortion
- Section 384 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 – Punishment for extortion
- Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 – Public servant taking gratification other than legal remuneration in respect of an official act
- Section 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 – Criminal misconduct by a public servant
- Section 9 of the Central Excise Act, 1944 – Offences and Penalties
- Section 135 of the Customs Act, 1962
- Section 276-C of the Income Tax Act, 1961 – Wilful attempt to evade tax, etc.,
- Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 1944
- Section 452 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 – Order for disposal of property at the conclusion of a trial
- Smugglers & Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act, 1976
- Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985
