President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday gave his assent to a bill to help tackle sexual offenders, cyber criminals and traditional unlawful acts like dacoity and bootlegging in Telangana state.

President Kovind gave his assent to the Telangana Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Dacoits, Drug-Offenders, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders and Land-Grabbers (Amendment) Bill, 2017, a Home Ministry official said.

The new Bill will replace a 1986 Act of the State. The erstwhile 1986 Act had jurisdiction for the undivided Andhra Pradesh but is incapable of punishing offenders of present-day financial frauds or white-collar crimes.

The amended Act has provisions to punish sexual offenders, explosive substances offenders, arms smugglers, cyber fraudsters and white-collar or financial offenders, the official informed.

However, provisions against common and traditional crimes like dangerous activities, drug trafficking, dacoity, bootlegging, land-grabbing immoral trafficking will continue to be part of the amended Act.