Tillu gang member gets ‘future’ interim bail from September; Delhi High Court steps in

The Delhi High Court has stayed an order granting advance interim bail to an alleged key operative of the Tillu gang, named Amit, who had been charged under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

On August 25, Justice Girish Kathpalia put on hold the August 17 direction passed by the Special Judge at Rouse Avenue District Courts, which had granted interim relief to Amit from September 10 to October 8.

“Learned counsel for respondent/accused accepts notice… and is allowed two weeks to file reply… In the meanwhile, operation of the impugned order shall remain stayed till the next date of hearing,” Justice Kathpalia said in his order which was recently made public.

Challenging the special court’s decision, the State, through Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) Aman Usman, had contended that an order granting interim bail with effect from a future date was legally unsustainable and “unusual”.

The prosecution informed the High Court that Amit is currently facing trial in 15 criminal cases, including charges of murder, attempt to murder, extortion, and offences under the Arms Act tied to the syndicate formerly headed by Tillu Tajpuriya alias Sunil.

The Delhi Police had to mobilise around 40 personnel — eight from the Special Cell and 32 from the local police — working across two daily shifts to guard his residence and escort him and his wife during hospital visits during his interim bail to keep watch on him.

Instead of surrendering once his initial relief elapsed, Amit repeatedly secured extensions until August 16, with an explicit direction to surrender before jail authorities on August 17.

On the very day he was scheduled to return to custody, he moved another application seeking a three-week extension.

The trial court allowed the relief for a future window in September and October, but also diluted the round-the-clock police presence stationed around his home.

Additional Sessions Judge Gagandeep Singh (Special Judge MCOCA), in his order dated August 17, said, “… it is also reflected from the record that till the time the applicant herein remained on interim bail by virtue of order of Ld. Predecessor dated 04.06.2026 or the previous order, no report came to be filed by the State regarding witnesses being approached or threatened in any manner.”

ASJ Singh had imposed a condition that the Station House Officer, Alipur police station, depute “one security official for 24-hours duty, who shall remain deputed at the… residence of the accused/applicant or shall accompany him to the hospital or other urgent requirements connected thereto.”

Opposing the trial court’s order, APP Usman argued in the High Court that Amit’s brother had in June targeted a businessman with an extortion demand of Rs 2 crore.

It was also argued that Himmat, a co-accused in the case against Amit, who was granted interim bail on medical grounds had jumped bail and was declared a proclaimed offender on March 24, 2026.

Nirbhay Thakur is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express who primarily covers district courts in Delhi and has reported on the trials of many high-profile cases since 2023. Professional Background Education: Nirbhay is an economics graduate from Delhi University. Beats: His reporting spans the trial courts, and he occasionally interviews ambassadors and has a keen interest in doing data stories. Specializations: He has a specific interest in data stories related to courts. Core Strength: Nirbhay is known for tracking long-running legal sagas and providing meticulous updates on high-profile criminal trials. Recent notable articles In 2025, he has written long form articles and two investigations. Along with breaking many court stories, he has also done various exclusive stories. 1) A long form on Surender Koli, accused in the Nithari serial killings of 2006. He was acquitted after spending 2 decades in jail. was a branded man. Deemed the “cannibal" who allegedly lured children to his employer’s house in Noida, murdered them, and “ate their flesh” – his actions cited were cited as evidence of human depravity at its worst. However, the SC acquitted him finding various lapses in the investigation. The Indian Express spoke to his lawyers and traced the 2 decades journey. 2) For decades, the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has been at the forefront of the Government’s national rankings, placed at No. 2 over the past two years alone. It has also been the crucible of campus activism, its protests often spilling into national debates, its student leaders going on to become the faces and voices of political parties of all hues and thoughts. The Indian Express looked at all court cases spanning over two decades and did an investigation. 3) Investigation on the 700 Delhi riots cases. The Indian Express found that in 17 of 93 acquittals (which amounted to 85% of the decided cases) in Delhi riots cases, courts red-flag ‘fabricated’ evidence and pulled up the police. Signature Style Nirbhay’s writing is characterized by its procedural depth. He excels at summarizing 400-page chargesheets and complex court orders into digestible news for the general public. X (Twitter): @Nirbhaya99 ... Read More