Delhi to Shift High-Risk Undertrial Gangsters to Other States Under New Law

NEW DELHI — The Delhi government plans to shift undertrial gangsters, organised criminals, and other high-risk inmates to prisons in other states to prevent them from orchestrating criminal activities from inside jail facilities.

To facilitate the transfers, the government will implement the Transfer of Prisoners (Punjab Amendment) Act, 2025, in the national capital.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta stated that the decision aims to enhance prison security, protect the public interest, and improve inter-state cooperation in handling organised crime syndicates. She noted that moving these prisoners would lower the risk of gang wars and extortion while strengthening overall law and order across Delhi.

According to the government, relocating hardened undertrial prisoners outside the city is expected to limit their ability to intimidate witnesses and disrupt court proceedings. The measure is also intended to curb retaliatory violence inside local correctional facilities.

At present, authorities face legal limitations when attempting to move undertrial gangsters and high-profile offenders out of Delhi jails. While Section 20 of the Model Prison and Correctional Services Act, 2023, permits inter-state transfers of undertrial inmates, it requires explicit consent from the concerned trial court.

Under the proposed legal framework, authorities will be able to transfer such high-risk prisoners with either the mutual consent of the involved states or the approval of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.