The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Bharatiya Nagarik Surakha Sanhita (BNSS), and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) meet the needs of the changing nature of crime, Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal said in Mangaluru on Thursday.
Speaking at a session on ‘new criminal laws” at the Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Mr. Agrawal said that now daily life is governed by technology. While technology has led to a ease of living, it has also contributed to innumerable instances of online frauds. New criminal laws have addressed the needs of changing nature of crime, including online frauds, he said.
The new laws enable a person to file a complaint on a cognisable offence at any police station. “No police station can refuse to register the complaint,” he said, and added these complaints will be investigated in a time-bound manner.
Provision has been made for production of electronic evidence and also for online deposition of evidence of witnesses before the court. In cases where offence attracts punishment of seven and more years, the new laws make it mandatory for the investigation officer to photograph and videograph the process of panchnama and mahazar.
Mr. Agrawal said offence of chain snatching under Section 304 of BNS attracted punishment of three years. The hit-and-run offence has also been made a serious offence under Section 106 of BNS and it attracted 10 years imprisonment. There is severe punishment for organised crime, mob lynching, and for physical relationship with a woman by promising to marry her.
In 23 offences, the BNS has laid down minimum and maximum terms of punishment. Provision has been made to send a person convicted in a petty case to community service. The new law has made sexual harassment gender neutral, which enables both men and women to report it.
Spreading fake news on social media and other mediums also attracted punishment under the new law, he said.
Since July 1, the city police have registered 1,100 cases under the BNS. “We (police) are learning (in implementation of the new laws). There will be some hiccups, we are taking care of it,” he said.
Former president of Mangaluru Bar Association K. Prithviraj Rai and KCCI president Ananthesh V. Prabhu also spoke.
