J&K Police charts roadmap for new criminal laws | DGP chairs high-level meet; prioritises swift trials, modern investigations

Jammu, Jan 17: Director General of Police (DGP) RashmiRanjan Swain Wednesday chaired a high-level meeting to discuss the roadmap for the effective implementation of new criminal laws – BharatiyaNyayaSanhita (BNS), BharatiyaNagarikSurakshaSanhita (BNSS), and BharatiyaSakshya (BS) - passed by the parliament recently.

A statement of J&K Police issued here said that the meeting was held at Police Headquarters Jammu under the chairmanship of the DGP R R Swain.

In the context of the parliamentary intent behind the newly passed laws to bring about a paradigm shift in the philosophy and practice of criminal laws from the ‘penal code’ to the ‘justice code’, the meeting discussed what was new in these laws and the changes and capacity building required in their efficient enforcement.

DGP Swain directed for identifying the resources and tools required for effective implementation of these laws.

He emphasised that the laws should be implemented in a way that ensures their effectiveness and achieves their intended objectives, directing to underline strategies including capacity building, training, and technical tools so that investigation officers have the necessary skills and resources to effectively enforce the new laws and utilise modern technology in investigations.

Appreciating the fellow J&K Police officers, the DGP said that he was delighted by the kind of participation and enthusiasm with which they showed their intent in understanding and implementing these laws.

Joint Director CBI, New Delhi, Viplav Kumar Choudhary gave a detailed presentation on the subject.

The DGP thanked Choudhary for his efforts in explaining the changes and objectives of these laws to J&K Police officers.

There was a thought-provoking discussion on the subject and the officers gave their suggestions and discussed the effectiveness of these laws comparing them with old laws during the presentation and after it.

During the meeting, it was observed that the laws passed by the country's parliament include provisions which ensure that not only the accused but the victims of crime, and society in general too receive justice, and thrust has been given to modernise the investigation process by using technology.

These laws have provisions to tackle terrorism and organised crimes more effectively, and they incorporate advancements in modern and scientific technology to improve the quality of investigations besides timelines in trials.

Additionally, the laws have provisions for increased punishment for certain offences.

It has introduced new offences, including offences against the state, organised crime, offences related to terrorism, mob lynching, non-reporting of rash and negligent acts, crimes of snatching, ATM theft, Ponzi schemes, and leaked question papers.

ADGPs M K Sinha, Nitish Kumar, IGP Headquarters B S Tuti, DIGs M SulemanChoudhary, ShridharPatil, Ajeet Singh, Sarah Rizvi, NishaNathyal, JavaidIqbalMatoo, SSP PCR Jammu, JDPs PHQ and Crime headquarters, AIGs of PHQ, Jammu based IRP and JKAP Commandants attended the meeting in person at PHQ Jammu while ADGPs S J M Gillani, Garib Das, and Vijay Kumar, Range DIGs, District SSPs, Commandants of IRP and JKAP, Principal of Police Training Institutions and Schools, and SSP PCR Kashmir attended the meeting through video conferencing.