The Supreme Court on Thursday proposed the establishment of special courts for the expedited trial of criminal cases, following a report from the Delhi government on the 95 gangster groups operating in the national capital.

A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotiswar Singh expressed concerns over gangsters exploiting delays in the judicial process to secure bail by citing prolonged trials. "If trials are delayed, they secure bail.

In a country with no protection for witnesses, the outcome is all too predictable," the bench remarked to additional solicitor general S.D. Sanjay, representing the Delhi government.

Sanjay, along with a young deputy commissioner of police, presented a chart outlining criminal activities in Delhi, identifying 95 active gangster groups.

The bench referred to a newspaper article about the brutal murder of a young girl from a minority community, initially suspected to be a case of a love affair. It was later revealed that the girl was a witness in a murder case, and her killing was a calculated attempt to prevent her testimony in court. "This is how the mafias operate," Justice Kant remarked.

Sanjay informed the bench that discussions were underway with the Delhi prosecution department, and if necessary, police would approach the high court to consolidate the trials of all criminal cases related to gangster Mahesh Khatri alias Bholi.

Khatri had appealed to the Supreme Court after being denied bail by the high court.

The bench advised Sanjay to identify individuals whose cases could be fast-tracked, suggesting an estimate of how long it would take for each court to handle five to ten cases. "Consider the creation of special courts dedicated exclusively to these cases," the bench proposed.

Sanjay highlighted that Khatri’s activities were primarily based in the Rohini area, although his criminal activities extended to Patiala House Court in New Delhi and beyond, even into Haryana. Justice Kant remarked on the widespread nature of organized crime in the entire NCR region, noting the belt of Sonepat, Panipat, Gharaunda, Bahadurgarh, and up to Jhajjar in Haryana.

In response, the bench noted that proposals regarding the creation of special courts for speedy trials were under active consideration by relevant authorities. The Supreme Court allowed three weeks for the authorities to submit an effective proposal, and the matter was adjourned to July 24.