As the new criminal code, Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, came into effect today, the first complaint was filed at 12:10 am in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, involving a case of motorcycle theft valued at ₹1.80 lakh. This contradicts earlier reports suggesting the first case involved a street vendor obstructing a road near New Delhi railway station.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah clarified the sequence during a media interaction, stating, “It’s untrue that the first case was against a street vendor. The initial complaint was lodged in Gwalior for a motorcycle theft.”
Meanwhile, in Delhi, the first case under the new criminal codes was indeed filed against a street vendor obstructing a public road near the railway station. The complaint was registered under Section 285 of the new code, which addresses acts causing obstruction or danger in public ways.
According to details from the complaint, the vendor, identified as Pankaj Kumar from Patna, Bihar, had set up a stall selling water, bidi, and cigarettes near a foot overbridge late last night. Despite repeated warnings from a sub-inspector to remove the stall due to public inconvenience, Kumar allegedly refused to comply. The incident led to the sub-inspector recording evidence using the e-praman application.
The new criminal codes – Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam – have been implemented with the aim of expediting justice and addressing modern crime challenges. Under the new provisions, judgments are mandated within 45 days of trial completion, with charges framed within 60 days of the first hearing.
Shah asserted that these changes were necessary for ensuring “speedy justice and justice for all.” However, Opposition parties, including the Congress, have criticised the swift implementation of the new laws, calling for more deliberation on their implications.
