Soon after the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) came into effect on July 1, a bike theft incident in Madhya Pradesh’s Gwalior district became the first case to be registered under India’s new criminal code, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said.
According to the local police, an FIR under Section 303(2) [theft] of the BNS was filed at 12.24 a.m. at the Hajira Police Station of Gwalior, based on a complaint given at 12.15 a.m.
Section 303 reads: “Whoever, intending to take dishonestly any movable property out of the possession of any person without that person’s consent, moves that property in order to such taking, is said to commit theft.”
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, at a press conference in Delhi, also confirmed that the first case under the BNS was filed in Gwalior.
Clarifying that a case against a street vendor in Delhi was not the first case under the BNS, Mr. Shah said that the Delhi Police has “disposed off” the case “using the provisions of review”.
Three new criminal laws, including the BNS, came into effect on July 1 and replaced the British-era laws. While the BNS replaces the Indian Penal Code, of 1860; the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) replaces the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). The Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) replaced the Indian Evidence Act, 1872.
Gwalior Superintendent of Police Dharmvir Singh told The Hindu that a motorcycle was allegedly stolen in the Hajira area between 12.05 a.m. and 12.10 a.m. and a case was registered regarding the same.
Mr. Singh said that the police is currently working to locate the stolen vehicle and nab the accused.
As per the FIR of the case, one Saurabh Narvariya filed a complaint regarding the theft of his bike worth ₹1.80 lakh. Mr. Narvariya said that his bike was stolen from outside his house.
However, Madhya Pradesh Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order), Jaideep Prasad, said that the first case in the State under the BNS was lodged in Bhopal’s Hanumanganj Police Station under Section 296.
“At 12.16 a.m., the first FIR under the BNS was registered in Hanumanganj police station. Action has been taken in many cases under the BNS across Madhya Pradesh. 10-12 FIRs have filed alone in Bhopal,” he said, speaking to news agency PTI.
