Punjab and Haryana High Court warns against growing gangster culture, calls for decisive action

Sounding a strong warning against the growing gangster culture and its portrayal in popular media, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has held that the judiciary must ensure that those engaging in nefarious activities face the full brunt of the law. Justice Harpreet Singh Brar asserted that such criminality would not be tolerated and that decisive action was essential to restoring public confidence in the legal system.

Advertisement

“The glorification of violence, the normalisation of criminal behaviour, and the recruitment of vulnerable youth into gangs not only perpetuate crime but erode public trust in the justice system,” the court observed. It stressed that such hardened criminals, often romanticised by popular media, had fostered a distorted sense of power and impunity among the youth, thereby threatening the very fabric of a law-abiding society.

The court asserted that unchecked gang activities had far-reaching consequences, from rising violent crime rates to economic instability in affected regions. “This menace must be dealt with decisively and swiftly,” it stated, adding that stringent law enforcement and legal measures were essential to dismantling extortion rackets and deterring future criminal enterprises.

The observations came while dismissing a petition filed against the state of Haryana, wherein an under trial sought protection on the ground that he was apprehending a fake encounter during police remand. The petitioner, booked under multiple sections of the IPC and the Arms Act on August 10, 2017, contended that he was being falsely implicated and subjected to extreme torture in custody. He claimed a credible threat to his life from the police, fearing an extra-judicial execution. The state counsel, on the other hand, submitted that the petitioner was the kingpin of a dreaded gang and was involved in 44 cases across multiple districts.

“The petitioner has not been able to indicate the source of such information or supply any material to bestow legitimacy on the same,” Justice Brar stated, dismissing the petition as “totally misconceived.” The court also imposed a cost of Rs 20,000, directing the amount to be deposited with Poor Patient Welfare Fund, PGIMER, Chandigarh,” Justice Brar asserted.