Punjab: Police crackdown on proclaimed offenders; 255 cases resolved in 11-month special campaign

Mohali (Punjab) [India], May 3 (ANI): In a sustained crackdown on proclaimed offenders, Punjab's Mohali Police have resolved 255 cases over an 11-month-long special campaign, marking a significant push to strengthen law and order in the district, officials said.
The campaign, conducted from June 1, 2025, to April 30, 2026, was carried out under the leadership and guidance of Senior Superintendent of Police Harmandeep Singh Hans, with overall supervision by Deputy Superintendent of Police Ajitpal Singh of the Crime Against Women Unit.
According to officials, the drive involved coordinated efforts by all police stations across the SAS Nagar district, along with dedicated teams focusing specifically on tracing and acting against proclaimed offenders (POs). The initiative aimed at ensuring that individuals evading legal proceedings are either brought to justice or formally removed from the PO list through due process.
Police said that out of the 255 cases resolved during the campaign period, 25 offenders had been declared proclaimed offenders under Sections 82 and 83 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), which correspond to Sections 84 and 85 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
Additionally, 230 offenders had been declared under Section 299 of the CrPC, corresponding to Section 335 of the BNSS.
Providing a detailed breakdown of the action taken, officials stated that 158 proclaimed offenders were successfully arrested during the campaign. Another 20 individuals were removed from the proclaimed offender list following the disposal of their cases, including instances of conviction, acquittal, or quashing by courts.
Meanwhile, 77 names were struck off the list due to the death of the accused persons.
Police further highlighted that among the proclaimed offenders targeted in the campaign, eight individuals were involved in serious criminal cases, while ten were linked to cheque dishonour cases, indicating the diverse nature of offences being addressed under the initiative.
Officials described the outcome as a "significant achievement" for the district police, attributing it to sustained coordination, intelligence gathering, and focused enforcement strategies adopted during the campaign period.
"The campaign was carried out under the leadership and guidance of Harmandeep Singh Hans, Senior Superintendent of Police, SAS Nagar, Mohali Police, and under the supervision of Ajitpal Singh, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Crime Against Women Unit," the police said.
They added that the involvement of all police stations and specially constituted proclaimed offender teams played a crucial role in tracing absconders, verifying records, and executing arrests in a time-bound manner.
Mohali Police said that the campaign is part of a broader effort to tighten enforcement against offenders attempting to evade the law and to clear pending cases that have been delayed due to the non-appearance of accused persons.
"Mohali Police continues its sustained efforts to apprehend the remaining proclaimed offenders. Special teams have been deployed to ensure their early arrest or removal from the proclaimed offender list," the statement said.
The police added that the drive will remain an ongoing priority, with continuous monitoring and deployment of resources to identify absconders and take appropriate legal action.
"The campaign will remain an ongoing priority in the interest of maintaining law and order in the district," officials said. (ANI)