13,521 criminals at large in Delhi, Police tell Court

The Delhi police have informed the Delhi High Court that as many as 13,521 accused persons are currently fleeing from justice and 4,777 of them are involved in offences where the punishment is seven years or more.

These figures were provided to a Division Bench of the Court comprising Justice A.K. Sikri and Justice Ajit Bharihoke by the Delhi police on a direction issued by the Court on October 22 last year. The Bench had passed the direction while hearing an appeal in a criminal case.

These accused persons are absconding after being released on bail or were not arrested by the investigating agency during investigation.

While issuing the direction, the Court had said that it was observed that many an accused were either not arrested or had absconded during the trial or pendency of their appeals after they were granted bail.

It said that it would like to examine this aspect to put in place a proper system to ensure that a follow-up action was taken to locate the absconding accused and it was reviewed periodically.

The police further informed the Court that in as many as 1061 cases, the names of proclaimed offenders were being expunged from the absconders’ list due to various reasons.

The police also informed the Court that special measures were being taken to remedy the situation.

After going through the report, the Bench said that it was of the view that much more was required to be done by the investigating agency. It gave four weeks to the Delhi police to file a status report giving details about the steps being taken by it to arrest the proclaimed offenders.

The police would in their report also indicate the number of proclaimed offenders arrested since the direction was passed.

The matter will now come up for hearing on March 3.