NEW DELHI: The government announced on Wednesday that over 5.56 lakh First Information Reports (FIRs) have been registered across the country under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) since its implementation on July 1.
Officials from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) stated that to ensure the smooth implementation of the newly enacted criminal laws, several mobile applications have been developed by central agencies.
These include e-Sakshya, an app designed for capturing, storing, and retrieving evidence through videography and photography. This app has been adopted by 22 states and Union Territories (UTs) and tested by 24 of them, the officials added.
The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) replaced the colonial-era Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), and the Indian Evidence Act of 1872, respectively.
Highlighting the achievements of the Ministry during the first 100 days of the Modi government’s third term, a senior MHA official said, “Since July 1 till September 3, a total of 5.56 lakh FIRs have been registered in the country under the BNS.”
The official further mentioned that software patches have been designed and deployed in the Inter-operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS) applications to accommodate the new criminal laws.
Additionally, the official informed that significant updates have been made in the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS), including its integration with e-Prisons, e-Forensics, e-Prosecution, and the use of electronic means such as audio-video communication in line with the new criminal laws.
The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has developed 23 application patches for CCTNS/ICJS, while the National Informatics Centre (NIC) has created 6 patches for e-Forensics, 7 for e-Prosecution, and 9 for e-Prisons.
These updates have been shared with all states and UTs to ensure the effective implementation of the new criminal laws.
Furthermore, a mobile and web application, NCRB SANKALAN of Criminal Laws, has been introduced to help users navigate the new criminal laws. The app has been downloaded approximately 5.85 lakh times.
The MHA has also established a CCTNS technical support call centre with a helpline number (14415) to assist states and UTs. Another app, Nyay Shruti, has been launched to facilitate efficient and secure communication among all pillars of the ICJS ecosystem.