First FIR under new criminal law filed against Delhi street vendor

The FIR was filed under Section 285 of the new criminal code. (File photo/PTI)

As the new criminal laws came into effect on Monday (July 1), the first FIR (first information report) was filed against a street vendor for obstructing a road near the New Delhi Railway Station.

The FIR was filed under Section 285 of the new criminal code, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which states, “Whoever, by doing any act, or by omitting to take order with any property in his possession or under his charge, causes danger, obstruction or injury to any person in any public way or public line of navigation, shall be punished with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees.”

The FIR was filed after a police personnel on patrol duty last night spotted the street vendor selling water bottles and tobacco on the road. His makeshift stall had obstructed the road and he was repeatedly asked to move it. When he did not, the police personnel moved to register an FIR.

The vendor has been identified as Pankaj Kumar from Patna in Bihar, NDTV reported.

Three new criminal codes — Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam — have come into force today. They have replaced the colonial-era Indian Penal Code (IPC), Indian Evidence Act and the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

From now on, all FIRs will be filed under the provisions of BNS. However, cases registered before July 1 will continue to be tried under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and Indian Evidence Act until their final disposal.