<h1>Benami Transactions Act 2016 Empowers Authorities to Confiscate Properties; Over 140 Cases Identified Since Implementation.</h1> The Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amended Act, 2016, addressed defects in the original 1988 Act, enabling effective prohibition of benami transactions. The amended law allows authorities to provisionally attach and potentially confiscate benami properties. Convicted individuals face imprisonment from one to seven years and fines up to 25% of the property's market value. Since its implementation on November 1, 2016, 140 cases involving properties worth approximately Rs. 200 crore have been identified, with provisional attachments made in 124 cases. The government has designated specific income-tax authorities for managing these transactions, as stated by a government official in the Lok Sabha.