From six cases against cops in 2023 to 4,069 in 2024: After topping NCRB list, Chandigarh Police says figures ‘incorrect’

3 min readChandigarhJun 12, 2026 01:05 PM IST

The National Crime Records Bureau’s (NCRB) “Crime in India 2024” report has placed Chandigarh at the top of the country in cases registered against police personnel, with the bureau recording 4,069 cases against Chandigarh policemen during 2024. The figure, however, has been strongly disputed by Chandigarh Police, which termed it “incorrect” and said it would approach the NCRB for a correction.

“The data published in the NCRB 2024 report is incorrect and could be a typo. These many cases are registered in total in Chandigarh by Chandigarh Police,” Inspector General of Police (IGP) Pushpendra Kumar told The Indian Express.

“Prima facie, the data appears to be erroneous. We will verify the details and write to the NCRB seeking rectification of the record,” Kumar said.

The figure appears in a table of the NCRB report, which deals with cases registered against state police personnel. Against Chandigarh, the table records 4,069 cases registered, along with 1,499 charge-sheeted cases and 1,499 final reports submitted.

The number stands out not only because it is the highest in the country but also because it marks a dramatic departure from Chandigarh’s own NCRB records over the past four years.

According to previous NCRB reports, Chandigarh recorded two cases against police personnel in 2020, six in 2021, four in 2022 and six in 2023. The jump from six cases in 2023 to 4,069 in 2024 has raised serious questions about the accuracy of the data.

A comparison with other states further underlines the anomaly. The NCRB data for 2024 records 321 cases in Maharashtra, 187 in Rajasthan, 132 in Telangana, 130 in Kerala and 40 in Haryana. Chandigarh’s reported figure is more than 12 times Maharashtra’s tally and far exceeds the numbers reported by any state or Union Territory.

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The discrepancy becomes even more pronounced when viewed against national figures. The NCRB report records 6,269 cases against police personnel across India in 2024, meaning Chandigarh alone accounts for nearly 65 per cent of all such cases in the country. Among Union Territories, the share is even more striking, with Chandigarh accounting for almost 90 per cent of the 4,563 cases reported.

Police officials indicated that the figure may have inadvertently reflected the total number of criminal cases registered in Chandigarh during the year rather than cases registered against police personnel.

The NCRB report notes that the data is furnished by states and Union Territories. Chandigarh Police officials said they would examine the entry and communicate with the NCRB to have the record corrected.

Jagpreet Singh Sandhu is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. He is a veteran reporter with over a decade of experience, specializing in legal, crime, and environmental reporting across the tri-city area (Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula).

Professional Background
Core Beat: He primarily covers the Punjab and Haryana High Court, District Courts, CBI Courts, and Consumer Commissions. His legal reporting is known for breaking down complex judgments and tracking long-standing criminal cases.

Environmental Reporting: Jagpreet has become a key voice in reporting on the deteriorating air quality and weather patterns in the Punjab-Haryana region.

Crime & Technology: He frequently reports on cybercrime, digital arrest scams, and the intersection of technology and law enforcement, such as the development of citizen-centric policing apps.

Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
His late 2025 coverage has focused on significant judicial verdicts, major financial scams, and public health concerns:

1. Legal & CBI Court Verdicts
“12 years on, CBI court acquits Haryana judge, parents in wife’s death case” (Dec 17, 2025): Detailed coverage of the acquittal of a judicial officer in a high-profile dowry death case from 2013.

“‘Wicked & evil mind’: Court gives man 30-year term for kidnapping, sexually assaulting 8-year-old” (Dec 16, 2025): A report on a stern judgment from a Chandigarh district court in a POCSO case.

“Man acquitted in rape case after victim found ‘very happy’ in wedding reception” (Dec 9, 2025): Covering a unique legal observation regarding consensual relationships and age verification.

2. Investigative & Scams
“CBI registers FIR in Rs 1.14-cr Patient Welfare Grant scam at PGIMER” (Dec 19, 2025): An exposé on how funds meant for poor patients were siphoned off through forged documents and a photocopy shop inside the PGIMER campus.

“Month-long torture, Rs 85 lakh transfers: How ‘Innocence Certificate’ led to a ‘digital arrest’ of an elderly couple” (Dec 12, 2025): Detailing a sophisticated cyber fraud targeting senior citizens in Chandigarh.

3. Environment & Public Safety
“Panchkula air turns ‘very poor’, fourth worst in country” (Dec 22, 2025): Reporting on the sudden spike in pollution levels in Panchkula compared to neighbouring cities.

“Soon, you can snap that overspeeding car, and report to Chandigarh Police” (Dec 16, 2025): Breaking news on a new mobile application being developed to allow citizens to report traffic violations via geo-tagged photos.

4. Gangster Culture & Crime
“City Beautiful in the crosshairs of gangsters” (Dec 14, 2025): A feature analysis of how Chandigarh has increasingly become a staging ground for extortion and rivalries between gangster modules.

“Shooters wanted for Parry murder held by Delhi Police Special Cell” (Dec 18, 2025): Following the developments in a high-profile murder case in Chandigarh’s Sector 26.

Signature Style
Jagpreet is recognized for his tenacious follow-up on cold cases and his ability to report on courtroom drama with a focus on victim rights. His work often highlights administrative lapses, whether in the handling of patient welfare funds or the enforcement of environmental standards. … Read More