The Punjab and Haryana High Court Takes Tough Stand Against Gangster Culture

Court Orders Immediate Implementation of SOPs to Counter Organized Crime

In a strongly written and reasoned judgment intended to eradicate rising gangster activities, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the governments of both states to ensure that an immediate SOP for the eradication of gangster culture is drafted without delay. Justice Harpreet Singh Brar was hearing the matter and stated that the very least the judiciary could do was ensure that the most exemplary punishment was meted out to those who committed offences.

He further stressed that a very strong and uncompromising message must be sent to save society and to Give confidence back to the people who would receive such a message from the
judicial system.

Only an utter disregard of rights and defiance of all notions of justice can generate a sub-class of gangsters who terrorize the people while making money out of crime.

When Justice Brar said, “Gangsterism threatens public safety and creates tremors of law and order,” he made an equally serious observation about another aspect of the
gangster culture percolating into the minds of our youth through social media and other popular mediums. The court has pointed out that preventive and punitive measures must be united if we are to shatter this cycle.

Roadmap to the Destruction of Gangster Networks

The High Court has directed the governments to begin with a proper in-depth assessment of the present set of activities of gangsters. Data has to be collected from police record, intelligence report and records of the prisoners to look at the structure of gangs, their means of recruiting people, financing channels, and operational territories.

Justice Brar suggested the formation of a multi-agency task force comprised of policemen, cybercrime experts, intelligence bodies, anti-narcotics outfits, and legal advisors. He stressed the importance of describing roles very clearly with absolute coordination among these agencies to wipe out gangsterism.

The court also said that it must be mandatorily defined by law, referring to crimes like of contract killing, extortion, trafficking in drugs, arms smuggling, and social media using glorification of criminals. Law enforcement agencies should have the
mandate to act swiftly and decisively.

Strengthening Police Forces and Fast Tracking Legal Processes

The Court directed that on the one hand, specialization in organized crime should be strengthened through training, CCTV surveillance, cyber monitoring, and analysis; on the other hand, special police units should be developed to address gang problems in urban and rural areas.

Justice Brar demanded the initiation of fast-track courts for the quick disposal of cases against gangsters, attachment of the proceeds of crime, freezing of assets, as well as cutting off the funds involved in organized crime. Severally looked An important point is the monitoring and control in regard to social media accounts that are instrumental in propagating gangster glorification.

Publicizing and Rehabilitation of Vulnerable Youth

The court went on to suggest that governments, besides enforcing and prosecuting the offenders, must launch awareness the massive type-in schools, colleges, and communities to dissuade the youth from idolizing gangsters. The visibility of positive role models must be promoted, and these rehabilitation programs must also be made accessible to aspirants willing to abandon crime.

The court further laid great stress on routinely reviewing the SOP’s effectiveness. Reports on progress towards implementation should be filed in the High Court by the order of the court so as to have continuous improvement.

A Strong Message for a Safer Future

The intervention assumes significance when extortion, drug-related crimes and gang-related violence have been progressively increasing in Punjab and Haryana. Through this audacious step, the High Court hopes to extinguish essentially a gangster culture, along with restoring public confidence in police and in making sure that justice is indeed quick and certain against all odds.