Frame SOP to deal with gang menace within 2 months, HC tells Punjab
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has described as “baffling” the absence of a legislative framework in Punjab and Haryana to combat gang-sponsored violence and harassment, even as it directed both states to frame a standard operating procedure (SOP) within two months to guide investigations in such cases.
Issuing binding directions, Justice Harpreet Singh Brar mandated prompt registration of FIRs on receiving information about gang-related activities, but barred their publication on police portals. Investigations were directed to be conducted by officers not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), the court directed.
Terming the state of affairs a failure in ensuring citizens’ right to life under Article 21, Justice Brar held that credible threats of murder, rape, assault and extortion were a “conspicuous obstruction” to the right to life. “Organised crime thrives on fear, creating an environment of helplessness and subjugation,” the court observed while calling for robust, law-backed measures to break the cycle.
“The state owes a duty to its citizens to ensure their safety. It is only when security and subsistence are not under threat can people truly make progress,” Justice Brar observed, adding that the BNS had, for the first time, added “organised crimes” as a specific offence — a glaring omission in the IPC. The court directed the creation of accessible reporting channels, including a toll-free helpline, an email ID, and an online portal for gang-related crimes, alongside awareness campaigns.
It also ordered the establishment of district-wise Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) and Special Task Force (STF) units in both Punjab and Haryana, each headed by a nodal officer of SP or DCP rank.
The establishment of state-level headquarters under an Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) was also ordered, with the ADGP to hold quarterly meetings with district heads, as well as counterparts in neighbouring states and central agencies, to share intelligence and coordinate action.
The court made forensic examination of all devices seized from accused mandatory, including call detail records, financial transactions, and location tracking.
The Punjab Witness Protection Scheme, 2024, was also ordered to be amended to align with judicial guidelines. Judicial officers were told to scrutinise final reports and apprise District and Sessions Judges of any intimidation affecting witnesses’ safety.
Punjab