Latest news with #GangsterAct
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Why they pleaded guilty to walk out of jail, end their legal ordeal
When Kunwarpal Singh walked into a Ghaziabad court in 2025, he made a decision that would end his 26-year-old legal battle. Charged with possessing an illegal pistol in 1999, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to "till rise of court" with a Rs 500 fine. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now As the court visitors rose from their seats after the verdict, Kunwarpal was a free man Rishi from Bulandshahr — facing charges under the UP Gangster Act since 2002 — pleaded guilty after spending over nine years in jail. The court sentenced him to the time he had already served behind bars — 9 years, 5 months, and 12 days. Rishi walked out free after paying a Rs 5,000 fine. Similarly, Sahil — arrested in Noida with 5.2gm of smack — chose to plead guilty after seven months in custody. The fast-track court, considering his status as the sole earning member of his family, sentenced him to the time already served in jail plus a Rs 1,000 fine These are not cases in isolation. They represent a growing trend where defendants are increasingly choosing to admit their guilt and plead for leniency instead of standing trial to expedite resolution. Called 'plea bargaining', the clause is being increasingly used by those who have spent considerable time in police custody. "Most of these accused don't have active family members to pray on their behalf. So, they often spend several years behind bars without their cases even coming up for trial," said Prateek Kumar, a lawyer who claimed to know many such cases. Special public prosecutor Varun Tyagi, who argued against Danish in a Gangster Act case, said the accused was advised by his lawyer to plead guilty. "He had been in jail since April 2023 and suffering from failing health. Danish had denied the charges against him on June 25. Merely a week ahead, he decided to confess to the crime. His counsel did not cross the prosecution's arguments, which suggests that the accused knew it was better to plead for leniency than continuing to argue the case," Tyagi said. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Danish was sentenced to 2 years and three months of rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs 5,000. "He had already spent that period in jail. So, he walked out free," he added. Ajit Nagar, secretary at the GB Nagar Bar Association, insisted that plea bargaining significantly reduced case pendency. "When an accused pleads guilty, they are at liberty to bargain under provisions of law for a lesser punishment from court," he added. Nagar pointed out that in certain cases, most of the accused preferred to plead guilty to fast track their hearings. "For instance, no one wants to contest cases where vehicles are impounded by police for traffic violations. The vehicle will remain confiscated unless the matter is disposed of. So, pleading guilty and paying a fine to end the case seems better than deciding to argue," he said. Similarly, in cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, the accused are often encouraged by their counsel to plead guilty when the quantity of the contraband is less. Since the penal provision for smaller quantities of drugs is up to one year, the accused can bargain for a lesser sentence and secure release earlier than waiting for a trial, which may take several years. In NDPS cases, the punishment and chances of bail depend upon the quantity of contraband recovered. According to lawyers, the quantity of drugs is categorised as 'small' and 'commercial' for different substances. For instance, a kilo of ganja is considered 'small' while 20kg is treated as a 'commercial' quantity. But in the case of cocaine, 2gm is 'small' while 100gm is 'commercial'. Ajit Handa, a defence counsel at the district court in Ghaziabad, pointed out that obtaining bail under the stringent NDPS Act was often difficult. "Usually, those arrested in such cases remain in jail for a longer period because of high pendency. But, if the quantity of drugs recovered is small, they can come out of jail early by pleading guilty," he said. "Sahil's case is a pointer to this. The court acknowledged he was the sole breadwinner in his family and accepted his plea," Handed went on to addd. Introduced in 2006 as Chapter XXI-A in the Criminal Procedure Code, plea bargaining aims at reducing court backlogs and streamlining the judicial process. However, it's not applicable in cases involving crimes against women or children below 14, those affecting socio-economic conditions, or repeat offenders. Utkarsh Vats, special public prosecutor (Pocso), said cases involving serious crimes were exempt from plea bargaining as well. "People accused under the Pocso Act cannot plead guilty for want of leniency by the court. Even if an accused pleads guilty, their case is heard in keeping with available penal provisions in the law," he added.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
Land worth Rs 60 cr seized from Noida-based land mafia in Aligarh
Agra: Authorities in Aligarh have seized over 40,000 sqm of land, valued at Rs 60.89 crore, from three alleged members of an organised land mafia operating out of Noida. The land, located in Goraula village, was allegedly acquired through forgery and deception by Ajit Kumar Raman, Shravan Kumar and Praveen Kumar Patel. Operating under a fake real estate company named GSM, the trio is accused of duping farmers and investors using fabricated land documents and false claims of appreciation in land value. The action was taken under section 14(1) of the Gangster Act, following a detailed investigation and report submitted by Tappal Police under sections 2/3 of the same law. According to SP (rural) Amrit Jain, Ajit Kumar led the gang, which lured people, particularly from Delhi and nearby states, by setting up tents and staging sales events near the Yamuna Expressway. "Every weekend, they invited potential investors, offered them lunch and created an illusion of legitimacy to close fraudulent deals," Jain said. Officials said an undercover investigation was launched after police received intelligence on these activities. SP Jain, along with circle officer Varun Singh and SHO Arun Kumar, visited the site disguised as investors. "We discovered that many buyers were shown one piece of land while being sold another. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Beyond Text Generation: An AI Tool That Helps You Write Better Grammarly Install Now Undo Nearby farmers were also misled into transactions using forged paperwork," the SP said. He added, "The seized land was attached following clearance from the district magistrate and forms part of a wider crackdown on organised land scams along the Yamuna Expressway. Police records show that multiple cases have been registered against the accused, and efforts are underway to identify other groups using similar tactics."
News18
15-07-2025
- Business
- News18
ED Cracks Down On Mukhtar Ansari's Close Aide Atul Rai, Attaches Properties Worth Rs 4.18 Cr
Last Updated: The ED has attached six properties worth Rs 4.18 crore to Atul Rai, an aide of Mukhtar Ansari, in a money laundering probe. In a big crackdown against Mukhtar Ansari's network, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has linked six immovable properties worth Rs 4.18 crore to former BSP MP Atul Rai. This move is part of a money laundering investigation into Vikas Construction, a company allegedly controlled by Mukhtar Ansari. The ED's investigation revealed that Vikas Construction, allegedly operated under Mukhtar Ansari's influence, generated funds of crime totaling Rs 27.72 crore. Atul Rai, as a key associate, played a crucial role in layering these illicit funds through various companies. The ED has identified 1 residential apartment in New Delhi, 3 residential plots in Varanasi, and 2 agricultural lands in Ghazipur, valued at Rs 4.18 crore. The agency has also identified proceeds of crime Rs 15 crore earned from renting out godowns to Food Corporation of India, and Rs 3.10 crore subsidy obtained through dubious means. Money Laundering Case Further investigation indicated that approximately Rs 8.49 crore generated from Vikas Construction was deposited into bank accounts of M/s Aaghaz Project and Engineering Pvt. Ltd. and M/s Inizio Network Solution Pvt. Ltd., both companies owned and controlled by Mukhtar Ansari's relatives and aides. These funds were then routed through business accounts, disguising their origins, and transferred to companies owned by Atul Rai. The ED's probe uncovered a complex layering process, where proceeds of crime were transferred to various companies, including M/s Kusumvision Infra Private Limited, M/s Spectrum Infraservices Private Limited, and M/s Kusum Constructions and Telecom Services. The Yogi government has intensified its efforts to curb Mukhtar Ansari's influence, with the ED attaching assets worth crores and arresting nearly 100 accused in his gang. The government has also taken action under the Gangster Act in 75 cases, signaling a strong stance against organised crime. The ED's action against Atul Rai marks a significant step in dismantling Mukhtar Ansari's network. view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hindustan Times
15-07-2025
- Hindustan Times
Bizman robbed off Mercedes in Panchkula: Mastermind with long list of crimes in net
Two weeks after a 42-year-old Mumbai-based businessman was robbed of his Mercedes car near Nada Sahib gurdwara on July 1, Panchkula police have cracked the case with the arrest of the mastermind. Two other accused, Sukhjeet Singh, 33, from Hoshiarpur, Punjab, and Sukhbir Singh, 29, from Kiratpur, Rupnagar, were already arrested on July 7. (HT) Identified as Dara Singh, hailing from Rupnagar, Punjab, he has a significant criminal history, with 32 cases in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, including charges of attempt to murder, robbery, Arms Act and Gangster Act, shared DCP (Crime) Amit Dahiya. Two other accused, Sukhjeet Singh, 33, from Hoshiarpur, Punjab, and Sukhbir Singh, 29, from Kiratpur, Rupnagar, were already arrested on July 7. Further interrogation led to the arrest of the mastermind from Punjab, he said. On the night of July 1, the victim, Aarif Sheikh, was driving his 2014 model Mercedes car from Nada Sahib Road towards Peer Muchalla. He was suddenly intercepted by a car near Peer Baba Dargah, Sector 3. The three car occupants, who claimed to be cops, and appeared to be under the influence of alcohol, began searching his vehicle. The trio then threatened Sheikh with a pistol, forced him into the backseat of their car, and robbed him of his Mercedes, two mobile phones, a gold chain and wrist watch. The accused reportedly drove Sheikh around nearby areas for some time before abandoning him near a toll plaza on the Panchkula-Shimla highway and making off with his Mercedes. Following the arrest of the three accused, police have recovered the Mercedes, the Honda Amaze car used in the crime, a gold chain, two iPhones, a watch worth ₹2.5 lakh, Apple earbuds and a dummy pistol. DCP Dahiya stated that the accused had previously served jail time together and were currently out on bail. Their motive was to quickly sell the stolen property, but police foiled their plans. The police are now investigating their links to other crimes in Haryana and possible involvement in incidents across other states.
Time of India
14-07-2025
- Time of India
School secretary alleges attack over school dispute, seeks CM Yogi's intervention
Agra: A school secretary has filed a complaint with UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, alleging an attack and an illegal attempt to seize Lal Dayal Public School in Muzaffarnagar's Khatauli amid an ongoing dispute over control of the institution. In his recent complaint, Rajveer Singh Verma claimed he was attacked by unidentified assailants on May 19 while offering prayers at the school temple. He alleged that CCTV footage points to the involvement of then-principal Mamta Dutt Sharma and others. Verma said he sustained serious injuries and "barely survived" the assault. A case was registered at Khatauli police station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 109 (attempt to murder). However, Verma accused the police of shielding the accused and ignoring his repeated complaints. He has demanded an impartial probe, police protection, and action under the Gangster Act. Verma also said that if any harm comes to him or his family, "the accused and local police would be responsible."
