Delhi Police Files First FIR Under New Criminal Code Against Street Vendor
The man was selling water, bidi, and cigarettes on the street, obstructing the road and causing difficulty for the public, the FIR said.
The Delhi Police has filed the first FIR under India's new criminal code—Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita—against a street vendor for obstructing public space near New Delhi Railway Station. Identified as Pankaj Kumar from Patna, Bihar, the vendor was found selling water bottles and gutkha, causing obstruction that impeded public movement.
Under Section 285 of the new criminal code, which came into effect on Monday, the offense pertains to acts or omissions causing danger, obstruction, or injury to any person on a public way. The FIR details that despite repeated warnings from police personnel on patrol duty last night, the vendor failed to remove his stall situated under a foot-over-bridge, prompting legal action.
"The man was selling water, bidi, and cigarettes on the street, obstructing the road and causing difficulty for the public," states the FIR accessed by NDTV. It further describes how efforts to resolve the situation peacefully were met with non-compliance, leading to the recording of evidence via the e-praman application.
The introduction of Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita is part of a trio of new criminal codes aimed at expediting justice and addressing contemporary criminal challenges. The reforms mandate swift trials, with judgements expected within 45 days of trial completion and charges framed within 60 days of the first hearing.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has advocated for these changes as necessary for ensuring "speedy justice and justice to all". Opposition parties, including the Congress, have raised concerns over the perceived haste in implementing the new laws.
