Crime syndicate leader free for 6 years, Delhi judge calls police’s ‘best efforts’ a ‘mockery’

On October 5, a Delhi court criticized police for their "best efforts" in investigating a crime syndicate leader who had been free for six years. Judge Gaurav Rao called the police's claim a "mockery" when he rejected their assertion that they had made their "best efforts." Mukesh, the alleged leader of a crime syndicate operating from Outer Delhi’s Narela, was named in at least two cases of murder and eight other cases when he was arrested in February 2026.

The court questioned all officers involved in the investigation, ordering an inquiry into the delay. Three Additional Deputy Commissioners of Police and the Investigating Officers were present in court when the decision was made. Mukesh was accused under the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act, 1999 (MCOCA) in September 2020 for 20 FIRs, including two cases of murder, one case of attempted murder, robbery, and dacoity.

The court noted that Mukesh had links with a notorious gangster, Jitender Mann, who was killed in September 2021. The judge expressed exasperation at the long delay in the investigation and ordered a detailed inquiry into the matter.