First case under new criminal justice laws registered for motorcycle theft in Gwalior, not against street vendor in Delhi: Amit Shah

New Delhi, July 01: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday stated that the first case filed under new criminal justice laws was about a motorcycle theft registered in Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh at 10 minutes past midnight.

"...The first case (under the new laws) was registered at a Police station in Gwalior. It was a case of theft, someone's motorcycle was stolen. The case was registered at 12.10 am...As far as the case against a vendor (registered at a Police Station in Delhi) is concerned, there were provisions for the same earlier too and it is not a new provision. Police used the provision to review it and dismissed that case," Shah said while addressing a press conference here.

Shah's clarification came in response to a media query about the first first case lodged under the new laws that have come into force beginning from today.

Delhi Police had registered a case at Kamla Market Police Station in the national capital against a street vendor under the new laws.

"If the date of crime is before July 1, 2024, then it will be tried under old laws, if it is later, it will be tried under new laws," Shah said at the press conference today.

The three new criminal laws- the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), came into effect today. Under this the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been replaced with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the CrPC with Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Indian Evidence Act has been replaced with the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam. These laws had recieved the assent by President Droupadi Murmu on December 25, 2023.

Detailing the new laws, the Union Minister said, "...First of all, I would like to congratulate the people of the country that about 77 years after independence, our criminal justice system is becoming completely 'Swadeshi'. This will function on Indian ethos. After 75 years, these laws were contemplated upon and when these laws are in effect from today, colonial laws have been scrapped and laws made in the Indian Parliament are being brought into practice. Instead of 'Dand', it is now 'Nyay'. Instead of delay, there will be speedy trial and speedy justice. Earlier, only the rights of the Police were protected but now, vicitms' and complainants' rights will be protected too."