New Delhi: Quick and seamless implementation of the three new criminal justice laws using technology, focus on data-oriented investigation, use of forensics and speedy trials —these were the key issues discussed at the 58th India Conference of Director Generals/Inspector Generals of Police, 2023 that concluded in Jaipur Sunday.
According to a senior government officer, the three new criminals justice laws will first be implemented in the Union Territories at one go, starting from Chandigarh. This will set the stage for other states to follow.
The date from when it will come into force will soon be announced by the government and that will become the cut-off date, the officer said.
The Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, 2023, (BNS 2023), the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS, 2023), and the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Adhiniyam, 2023, (BSA, 2023) to replace the the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860; the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1973 and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 were passed by Parliament in the Winter session and received the president’s assent last month.
“Most discussions centered around how the training of police across states will be carried out [in the new law], the induction of technology in daily functioning and use of forensics in investigations. All the Union Territories have been asked to roll out [the new laws] quickly,” the officer said.
According to the officer, while the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has been given the responsibility to handle the “backend”, while the Bureau of Police Research and Development will be in charge of “training” the officials.
“The NCRB will put standard operating procedures in place that will be shared with all the states. A lot of reference material is also being prepared,” the officer said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah who chaired the sessions told officers that the new laws are focused on delivery of justice instead of punishment and implementation of these laws would transform our criminal justice system as modern and scientific. He also stressed upon the need for training personnel, from station house officer (SHO) to director general of police (DGP) level, and technology upgradation from police stations right up to the police headquarters, for successful implementation of the new laws.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also addressed the sessions.
The conference that was held in hybrid mode, with director generals of police and inspector generals of police and chiefs of central police organisations attending physically from Jaipur, and over 500 police officers of various ranks participating through video conferencing from across the country.
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‘Groups for data-driven investigations, speedy trials’
Another key focus of the discussion was how to make data a part of investigations, a second officer said.
The officer added that all states have been asked to form groups of officers who are experts on technology, law and data analytics and who can then help train others.
“We were told that the police [force] is the catalyst for change and hence requires an overhaul in its approach. States have been asked to create groups of officers who know artificial intelligence, law, cyber and data analytics, who can help train others. These will be key teams who can help in investigations. The modalities of this are yet to be discussed,” the second officer said.
The officer added: “The PM stressed that data-driven investigations and better coordination among states will have to become a norm, going ahead. The police will use data analytics to aid investigations,” the officer added.
In the conference the Prime Minister said that the new criminal laws had been framed with the spirit of “Citizen First, Dignity First and Justice First”. Instead of working with a “danda” (police baton), the police must now work with “data”, the officer quoted the PM as saying.
Sources also told ThePrint that it was also discussed that there are only a few states that have taken to using data to solve cases. These include states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
“The record building in most states is very poor. If data has to be made an intrinsic part of investigation, then that has to improve. Barring a few southern states, no one does it as professionally. Hence it was stressed that uniformity of structures across the country be maintained. The same goes for counter-terror mechanisms and other skills,” said a third officer.
‘Infra push, phone jamming solutions’
Infrastructure push within prisons to ensure virtual appearance of prisoners, professional jamming solutions to restrict use of phones inside jails and making efforts to decongest prisons, were also a key agenda for the conference, a fourth officer said.
“It was discussed that virtual appearance of prisoners [at trials] be encouraged and infrastructure for the same be put in place across jails in the country. The key focus is to speed up trials,” the officer said.
The officer added: “Moreover, high-tech phone jamming solutions need to be brought to most prisons to ensure that no phones are used inside. There have been many instances of convicted and even undertrial prisoners running their gangs from inside the prison and giving instructions using phones, which needs to be looked into.”
Decongesting of prisons was discussed in detail, the officer added.
Under the new law, it will be the responsibility of the jail superintendent to approach the court for bail of first-time offenders who will be eligible for bail once they have completed one-third of their sentence, while the trial is still pending. They do not have to move a bail application.
“A procedure will be put in place for this. It will help decongest the prisons. For petty offences like theft, trespass, breach of peace, etc., the court can now award community service as a form of punishment. This will also help in decongesting overcrowded jails. Implementation of all these provisions was discussed in detail,” the officer added.
(Edited by Poulomi Banerjee)
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