Delhi Govt to Shift Hardened Gang Inmates to Jails in Other States

The Delhi government plans to shift hardened and notorious prisoners to jails in other states in an effort to curb organised crime across the national capital, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced on Sunday.

According to a statement from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), the administration identified 188 members belonging to 26 separate gangs in May 2026, resulting in the arrest of 107 individuals. Moving these inmates outside Delhi is aimed at isolating them to prevent them from influencing witnesses, disrupting legal trials, or conspiring from inside correctional facilities.

The CMO noted that despite being incarcerated, hardened criminals often exploit prison welfare facilities and local networks. From behind bars, they have managed to run extortion rackets, orchestrate targeted killings, trigger gang conflicts, and expand criminal alliances.

Chief Minister Gupta said the inter-state transfers will bolster prison security, law and order, and public safety while enhancing cooperation among different states in tackling organised syndicates.

Currently, the Transfer of Prisoners Act, 1950, and the Prisons Act, 1900, permit only the inter-state transfer of convicted inmates. These existing laws restrict undertrial prisoners to local custody.

To overcome this legal limitation, the Delhi government intends to adopt and implement the Transfer of Prisoners (Punjab Amendment) Act, 2025. Under this legislative framework, high-risk undertrials can be moved across state lines either through mutual consent between the concerned states or with formal approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs.