Delhi Police Registers First FIR Under New Criminal Code

Delhi Police filed its first FIR under the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) law against a street vendor for obstructing a public way. The BNS and two other new criminal laws have officially replaced colonial-era laws. The case was later dismissed after investigation by the police.

In a significant step toward modernizing India's criminal justice system, Delhi Police registered its first FIR under the newly implemented Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The FIR was filed against a street vendor in central Delhi’s Kamala Market area for obstructing a public way.

On Monday, new criminal laws, including the BNS, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), replaced the colonial-era Indian Penal Code and criminal procedures. Delhi Police chief Sanjay Arora announced the commencement of FIR registrations under these new laws on Delhi Police's Commissionerate Day.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah clarified that the Delhi case was not the nation’s first under the new laws; the initial FIR was for a motorcycle theft in Madhya Pradesh. The case against the street vendor was eventually dismissed, reflecting the application of the new laws.