Police get ready to fight crime with tougher Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita now

Indore: Massive preparations are being made by Indore police to equip field police officials to understand and learn the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which will come into force on July 1.
From registering dummy FIRs to sending Indian Penal Code (IPC)/ Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) hand booklets and PDFs to officers, senior officials are making sure that the constabulary is prepared for July 1.


“All FIRs of the cases lodged on and after July 1 will be registered under section 173 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in place of section 154 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC),” said commissioner Rakesh Gupta.
“The sections under Indian Penal Code (IPC) will replaced by BNS (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita) and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 by BSA, according to the new criminal laws,” said Gupta.
Gupta added that the Indore police are prepared to enforce the three new criminal laws in the city, having completed phased training for 5,000 personnel. Training will continue for lower-level officers at the district and police station levels.
For cases lodged on or before June 30, the sections of the CrPC and IPC will still apply, even if the FIR is registered after July 1. For example, a theft committed on June 29 but reported after July 1 will be investigated under the IPC and CrPC. Charge sheets for incidents before July 1 will follow CrPC procedures while those after will adhere to BNSS procedures. Officials have also distributed pocket books, PDFs, and posted comparison charts of IPC and BNS sections at all police stations to make understanding easier. Dummy FIRs and trial investigations have been conducted to familiarize officers with the new procedures. It has been under practice in several districts.
Under the new laws, approximately 20 new crimes have been introduced, and the severity of punishment has increased for 33 types of criminal cases. Key features of the new laws include mandatory zero FIRs, compulsory forensic inspections for crimes with sentences exceeding seven years, the introduction of community service as a punishment, and stricter measures against organised crime.
“The new laws incorporate more digital and technical processes to streamline operations, and our officers are ready for this transition,” Gupta stated while talking to TOI.
Officers have been informed about dedicated applications like Sankalan, ICJS (Inter-operable Criminal Justice System), Sakshya (evidence) application, e-Vivechna application, and E-Pramaan application. These tools will assist personnel in recording videos and audio of searches and seizures related to crime, facilitating compliance with the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA).