NEW DELHI: Delhi Police recorded a 16% increase in cases of organised and petty organised crime in the first five months of 2026, while arrests rose 60%, compared with the corresponding period last year.Taken together, cases registered under Sections 111 and 112 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) went up from 634 in Jan to May 2025 to 736 this year. Arrests shot up from 769 to 1,232.The two sections were introduced in BNS to target organised crime syndicates, ranging from major extortion operations to smaller networks involved in activities like liquor trafficking, a senior police officer said.Cases registered under Section 111 of BNS – it is aimed at serious organised crime carried out by gangs or criminal networks for financial or material gain – increased from 122 in the first five months of 2025 to 166 year-on-year. Arrests in these cases jumped from 76 to 333.Police also reported a significant improvement in detection, with 154 organised crime cases solved till May this year, compared with 45 last year.Cases of petty organised crime registered under Section 112 rose from 512 in the first five months of 2025 to 570 this year. Arrests in these cases increased from 693 to 899. The number of cases solved also went up from 500 to 533.Section 112 deals with petty organised crime involving groups or gangs engaged in recurring offences. “It can be called a mini-MCOCA, which helps in dismantling criminal syndicates,” the officer said.Cops said the provisions were being used to target entire criminal networks rather than just individual offenders. In some cases, locals were reluctant to come forward and lodge complaints against individuals involved in criminal activities, making it difficult for police to disrupt such networks.Another officer said invoking these provisions could strengthen a police case against accused persons during bail proceedings, as courts take a serious view of offences booked under them. They can also result in prolonged jail terms, helping deter offenders and reduce the fear they create among locals.Those involved in snatching syndicates – from hiring snatchers to disposing of stolen phones – can be booked under Section 112, the officer said. The provisions also cover liquor traffickers and repeat cyber fraudsters who provide mule accounts or transfer illicit funds for overseas scammers.Delhi Police are invoking the new BNS provisions against repeat offenders who, despite being jailed several times, continue their criminal activities and are allegedly operating organised syndicates.
