The Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986 (UP Gangsters Act) is a special state-level criminal law enacted to curb the menace of organized crime and anti-social activities in Uttar Pradesh. Introduced by Chief Minister Vir Bahadur Singh, the Act was deemed to have come into force on January 15, 1986, with the primary motive of taking stringent action against gangs and individuals disturbing public order.
The Act defines a "gang" in Section 2(b) as a group of people who indulge in anti-social activities, such as crimes under Chapters XVI, XVII, or XXII of the Indian Penal Code, or offenses like kidnapping, extortion, and human trafficking, to gain undue advantage through violence or coercion. A "gangster" is defined in Section 2(c) as a member, leader, or organizer of a gang, or one who assists or abets its activities.
A key mechanism is the punishment prescribed in Section 3, which mandates imprisonment for a gangster for a term of not less than two years and up to ten years, along with a minimum fine of Rs. 5,000. The Act also empowers the District Magistrate under Section 14 to order the attachment and forfeiture of property acquired by a gangster as a result of criminal activity. Furthermore, Special Courts are constituted under Section 5 for the speedy trial of offenses under the Act.
The Act is often connected to similar state laws like the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act, 1999 (MCOCA). A significant recent development is the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2015, which expanded the list of offenses. However, the Supreme Court, in the Shiv Pratap Singh alias Chinu v. State of Uttar Pradesh and Others judgment (delivered on August 20, 2026), criticized the Act as "stillborn," arguing that it prescribes punishment for the status of being a "gangster" under Section 3 without creating a distinct criminal offense corresponding to that status. The Court also flagged the potential for misuse through the administrative 'Gang Chart' prepared under the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Rules, 2021.