New Delhi:

Delhi recorded a slight decline in crimes including murder, robbery, rape, and molestation, last year as compared to 2023, data shared by the Delhi Police said.

According to the data, a total of 504 cases of murder were reported in the national capital – down from 506 in 2023. Incidents of robbery also witnessed a decline from 1,654 to 1,510 in 2024. There were a total of 33 incidents of riots reported in Delhi – at least 10 down from last to last year.

Cases of crimes against women also witnessed a sharp decline last year.

A total of 2,076 incidents of rape were reported in Delhi as compared to the previous year’s 2,141 cases, 2,037 cases of molestation – at least 308 down from 2023, and 362 cases of eve-teasing were reported in 2024 compared to 281 in 2023, the data said.

29 incidents of dacoity were witnessed – the same as the previous year.

However, there was a sharp rise in some incidents such as fatal accidents and burglary. While a total of 1,504 fatal accidents were reported last year – as compared to 1,432 from 2023, at least 29,011 cases of burglary were witnessed – over 400 cases more from the previous year.

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Several incidents of gambling were reported in Delhi last year (3,556 incidents in 2024).

Apart from these, officials said that cases related to the Excise Act saw a sharp rise last year. At least 6,443 cases were reported as compared to 5,951 in 2023. This comes as many Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, including former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, were arrested in the excise policy cases.

Delhi saw a dip in most crimes in 2024.

Over 100 criminals arrested in 2024: Delhi Police

The Delhi Police arrested a total of 114 hardened criminals in 2024, including 40 parole jumpers and wanted offenders each. The other arrested criminals included 18 interim bail jumpers, nine proclaimed offenders, four carrying a reward on their head, and three non-bailable warrant evaders, officials said.

Additionally, six criminals were on the run for over 10 years, while three had evaded arrest for eight years.

“A year of tireless effort and precision, the Crime Branch adopted a multifaceted approach, combining advanced technological tools and traditional intelligence methods. With the use of technical surveillance, CDR and IPDR analysis, and informant networks, various dedicated teams traced and captured offenders who had evaded arrest for years,” Special Commissioner of Police (Crime) Devesh Chandra Srivastava, said.

New Delhi:

A court here on Monday rejected an application filed by jailed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal seeking directions to the prison authorities for granting two additional meetings with his lawyers through video conferencing.

Special Judge Kaveri Baweja noted that as per the plea, Kejriwal is facing around 30 litigations across the country and on the grounds of the right to a fair trial, he requires two additional meetings with his lawyers through video conferencing (VC) to discuss the cases.

“It is not in dispute that a similar application filed by the applicant (Kejriwal) seeking the same relief i.e. additional legal meetings with his lawyers was dismissed by this court vide a detailed order dated April 10, 2024,” the court said.

It said the present application disclosed no new or fresh reasons to take a view different from the earlier order.

“Counsel for applicant has failed to convince the court as to how the applicant is entitled to two additional legal meetings through VC on the same grounds which have been discussed and dealt with in the earlier order,” the court said.

It said during the arguments, Kejriwal’s counsel was asked to withdraw the application and to move a fresh application with additional or fresh grounds, if any, which the advocate refused.

“Thus, having considered the submissions made and the observations already made vide order dated April 10, 2024, I see no reason whatsoever to allow the application under consideration,” said the judge dismissing the plea. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)