Over 45,000 officers trained, booklets prepared: Delhi police set to implement new criminal laws

The Delhi Police has trained over 45,000 officers to implement the new criminal laws that came into force on Monday, a senior police official said.

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) will replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC) of 1860, the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) of 1973, and the Indian Evidence Act of 1872, respectively.

Chhaya Sharma, Delhi Police Special CP (Training), said that police officials have been provided with booklets on the new laws to facilitate the implementation process.

“FIRs will be registered under these sections starting today. Our training began on February 5. We prepared booklets that helped us easily train our officers so they can be prepared for the coming changes,” Sharma said.

“The pocket booklet, divided into four parts, contains the transition from IPC to BNS, new sections added to BNS, categories that now come under seven years of punishment, and a table containing sections needed for everyday policing.”

According to Sharma, investigating officers across all police stations and potential IOs have been trained in the first round.

“At least 45,000 officers in the Delhi Police are trained and ready for the changes introduced by the new criminal laws. We have also established a team to assist officers with any questions regarding the implementation of these laws. This team serves as an FAQ resource, providing support and clarification as needed during the implementation process,” Sharma said.

She emphasized that the new laws focus on ‘justice’ rather than ‘punishment,’ with a victim-centric approach.

“For the first time, emphasis has been given to digital evidence. Now, evidence will be recorded digitally. The role of forensic experts has been enhanced,” she added.

Sharma highlighted that all cases registered before July 1 under the IPC, CrPC, and Indian Evidence Act will be tried under the same laws until final disposal.

“Law doesn’t function on a retrospective basis. So, the old cases (registered earlier) will be dealt with under IPC and CrPC. But when new cases are registered from today, July 1, sections of BNS (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita) will be invoked. Similarly, the process of investigation that begins today will follow Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and not CrPC. Old cases will be dealt with under old sections – CrPC and IPC. New cases will be dealt with sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS),” she said.

The first FIR under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, was registered at Kamla Market Police Station in the national capital on Monday. The case has been registered against a street vendor under Section 285 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for sale and obstruction on the footbridge of New Delhi Railway Station.

The three new laws that came into effect today received Parliament’s nod on December 21, 2023. President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent on December 25, 2023, and they were published in the official gazette on the same day.

Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita will have 358 sections (instead of 511 sections in the IPC). A total of 20 new crimes have been added to the bill, and the imprisonment sentence has been increased for 33 of them. The fine amount has been enhanced for 83 crimes, and mandatory minimum punishment has been introduced for 23 crimes. Community service as a penalty has been introduced for six crimes, and 19 sections have been repealed or removed from the bill.

Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita will have 531 sections (in place of 484 sections of CrPC). A total of 177 provisions have been changed in the bill, and nine new sections as well as 39 new sub-sections have been added. The draft act has added 44 new provisions and clarifications. Timelines have been added to 35 sections, and audio-video provisions have been added at 35 places. A total of 14 sections have been repealed and removed in the Sanhita.

Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam will have 170 provisions (instead of the original 167 provisions), and a total of 24 provisions have been changed. Two new provisions and six sub-provisions have been added, and six provisions have been repealed or deleted in the Adhiniyam.

(With ANI input)