Delhi Police lodges first FIR under new criminal law

The Delhi Police registered its first FIR under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against a street vendor in the Kamala Market area on Monday, 1 July, officials said.

Three new criminal laws came into effect on Monday, bringing far-reaching 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 colonial-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act, respectively.

Commissioner Sanjay Arora also confirmed that the Delhi Police had started registering FIRs under the three new laws.

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."

The police said an incident was reported at 12:15 am against a street vendor, who allegedly obstructed a public way to sell goods at a foot overbridge near the New Delhi station.

After instructions to move went unheeded, a patrol officer registered a case at 1:30 am.

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

The app, handled by the Delhi Police's Crime Branch, will directly feed the content to police records for further investigation, an officer said.

The Delhi Police has imparted training to its 30,000 personnel -- from the ranks of assistant sub-inspectors and inspectors to assistant commissioners and deputy commissioners -- 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, the officials said.