Delhi Police registers first case under new penal code Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against street vendor

Delhi: The Kamla Market Police Station in Delhi has registered the first FIR under the newly implemented Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The FIR was lodged against a street vendor, Pankaj Kumar, a resident of Barh, Bihar, under Section 285 for causing obstruction on the foot overbridge at New Delhi Railway Station while making sales.

According to the FIR, Kumar was selling tobacco and water on a cart near the main road, causing inconvenience and trouble to commuters. When police patrolling the area asked him to remove his cart, he ignored their directives.

This registration marks the beginning of the enforcement of three new criminal laws that replace older statutes. The Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been superseded by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) by the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, and the Indian Evidence Act by the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam.

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 The penalty of community service has been introduced in six crimes and 19 sections have been repealed or removed in the Act.

Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita has 531 sections (in place of 484 sections of CrPC). A total of 177 provisions have been changed in the Sanhita and nine new sections as well as 39 new sub-sections have been added to it. The act has added 44 new provisions and clarifications. Timelines have been added to 35 sections and audio-video provision has 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 A total of 14 sections have been repealed and removed in the Sanhita.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 Two new provisions and six sub- provisions have been added and six provisions have been repealed or deleted in the Adhiniyam.

Inputs from ANI