New Criminal Law Come Into Effect; 1st FIR Registered against Delhi’s Street Vendor

New Delhi: Three new criminal laws came into effect on Monday bringing in lasting changes in India’s criminal justice system.

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) replaced the British-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act, respectively.

The first FIR under the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita was registered by the Delhi Police against a street vendor named Pankaj Kumar from Bihar in the Kamala Market area on Monday.

The FIR was registered under Section 285 of the BNS which states, “Whoever, by doing any act, or by omitting to take order with any property in his possession or under his charge, causes danger, obstruction or injury to any person in any public way or public line of navigation, shall be punished with fine which may extend to Rs 5,000.”

According to the police, at around 12.15 am the street vendor allegedly obstructed a public way to sell goods at a foot overbridge near the New Delhi station. A patrol officer registered a case at 1:30 am.

The officer used the e-Pramaan app to record the seizures made.

The Delhi Police has imparted training to its 30,000 personnel, who are responsible for registering FIRs and conducting investigations. The Delhi Police was among the first forces in the country to start training personnel on the new criminal laws.