New Criminal Laws: Karnataka Police Register 80 FIRs On Day One

The state government of Karnataka on Monday decided to bring in at least 23 amendments to the Acts soon after the three new criminal laws came into force citing some “errors and contradictions” or labelled them “anti-people” and “anti-justice”. The state government will take up the matter at the next Cabinet meeting on July 4th and finalize dates to give effect to the amendments using powers granted to the state of K’taka under the Constitution. “If all goes according to plans, we may table the amendments in the upcoming session,” Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil said. Patil further said that the new laws are filled with many doubts especially with regard to the definition of organized crime. So we need proper clarifications of such new additions. Besides that, the state government intends to restore the power of seizing properties belonging to criminals to the judiciary. The new law allows the police to seize such properties,” he added.

Patil further criticized the timing and ethical implementations of implementing these three laws, enacted by the previous government. He said, “The government which enacts the law should implement it. But in this case, it’s unethical that the new government is implementing the decision of the cabinet of the earlier government. The Law Minister Patil showed rage and concern that the central government ignored suggestions made by the state for the new laws last October 2023.

As the three new criminal laws came into force, the Karnataka Police registered 80 First Information Reports (FIRs) including Bengaluru on Monday, informed by the statement released from the office of the Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG&IGP). State’s first FIR of accident under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)  which replaced the Indian Penal Code was registered at Hassan Rural Police station at 9:15 am on Monday. It is to be noted that Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bhartiya Sakshya Act (BSA) have replaced the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), and the Indian Evidence Act respectively. Here, Home Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara said that it’s too early to say whether the three new criminal laws will be a success or a failure. The cases being filed from Monday are being registered under the new laws, he added.