CRIMINAL LAW

❧
IN INDIA
 INTRODUCTION
❧ In medieval India, after the Muslim conquest, the
‘Mohammedan criminal law’ came into prevalence.
Subsequent to this, The British passed the ‘Regulating

❧
Act of 1773’ which led to the establishment of Supreme
courts in three presidency towns of Calcutta, Bombay,
and Madras.

❧ After 1857 Revolt, the crown took over the Indian

administration. There were different procedures being
followed in Provinces and Presidency towns. The
Supreme Courts Act 1852 consolidated the Acts in
Presidency Towns, later it was replaced by High Courts
Criminal procedure Act 1865. The British parliament
passed the Criminal Procedure Code, 1861, for the
Provinces, replaced by 1872 code. In 1882 there was a
common Cr.PC, replaced by the code 1898 which
continued till the post­Independence era and was
amended in 1969 by the painstaking effort of Indian Law
Commission. It was finally replaced by present CrPC,
1973.
 RECOMMENDATION OF LAW COMMISSION

❧
❧ An accused person should get a fair trial in
accordance with the accepted principles of natural
justice.
❧ Effort made to avoid delay in investigation and trial,
which is harmful to not only individuals involved but
also to the society.
❧ The procedure should not be complicated and
should to the utmost extent possible, ensure fair
deal to the poorer sections of the community
 CHANGES INTRODUCED BY NEW CODE

❧
❧ Separation of judiciary from the executive. DM and Subordinate
Magistrate continue to maintain law and order and prevention of
crime, Chief JM, 1 st and 2 nd class JM represents the judicial
hierarchy.
❧ The code represents uniform set of criminal courts throughout the
country.
❧ JM to function under control of HC, their sentencing power
enhanced.
❧ Cities called Metropolitan having Metropolitan Magistrates
❧ Appointing honorary Magistrates and Justice of peace abolished.
❧ Summary cases tried same as summon cases except variation
stated in S 262.
❧ Court of Sessions power of revisional jurisdiction as HC.
❧ An appeal by State against an order of acquittal, only filed after
leave of HC.
 CHANGES INTRODUCED BY NEW CODE
….continued
❧
❧ If police refuses to record FIR, aggrieved will send it by post to
Superintendent of Police.
❧ Special provisions made for protecting the interest of the accused.
Ss 313 (power to examine accused), 315(accused to be competent
witness) & 164 (2)(Magistrate to tell accused that he is not bound to
give statement) amongst other.
❧ Provision of paying victims & vexatious crimes.
❧ Legal representatives of parties can compound case after their
death.
❧ Perjury punishable.
❧ Jury system abolished.
❧ Crim. Cases of Cent. Govt, withdrawn with their consent only.
❧ Coordinate two proceedings where complaint filed has been
investigated by police.
❧ Poor to get free legal aid. & if prosecution requests examination of
witness on commission, court will order payment of fee to defence
 SCOPE AND APPLICATION

❧
❧ The Cr. PC. Is mainly an procedural law , but it has
few provisions which are in nature substantive like
a. Provisions relating to prevention of offences, as in
chapters 8, 10 and 11
b. Maintenance Proceedings, Chap­ 9.
OBJECT­ provide a machinery for the punishment of
offenders against the substantive criminal law as
contained in Indian Penal Code and other Acts
The Rules regulate the procedures in the Courts
 CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE­1973
❧ The Code of Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 is the main
legislation on the procedure for administration on substantive

❧
criminal law in India which provides the machinery for­
❧  The investigation of crime,
❧ Apprehension of suspected criminals,
❧  Collection of evidence,
❧ Determination of guilt or innocence of the accused person and
❧ The determination of punishment of the guilty.
❧ Additionally, it also deals with
❧  Public nuisance,
❧ Prevention of offenses and
❧ Maintenance of wife and children.
❧ The Act consists of 484 sections, which are further divided into
38 chapters, 2 schedules, and 56 forms.
 Territorial Extent, Scope, And Applicability Of
This Act
❧ It is applicable to the whole of India except the state of

❧
Jammu and Kashmir as the parliament’s power to legislate
in respect of the said state is curtailed by Article 370 of
Constitution of India. Provided that the provisions of this
code, other than those relating to chapters VIII, X and XI
thereof, shall not apply:

❧ To the state of Nagaland
❧ To the tribal areas in Assam
❧ But the concerned State Government may, by notification,
apply such provisions or any of them to the whole or part of
the state of Nagaland or such tribal areas, as the case may
be specified in the notification.
 THE RATIONALE OF Cr.PC
❧  Importance of a fair trial :
In the administration of justice, it is of prime importance that justice should not

❧
only be done but must also appear to have been done. Further, it is one of the
most important principles of criminal law that everyone is presumed to be
innocent unless his guilt is proved beyond reasonable doubt in a trial before
an impartial and competent court.

❧  Constitutional perspectives:
Articles 20 and 22 of the constitution of India provide for certain safeguards to
the persons accused of offenses. Article 20 secures the protection of the
accused persons, in respect of conviction for offenses, from Ex post facto
laws, double jeopardy and prohibition against self­incrimination. Similarly,
Article 21 of the constitution of India ensures the protection of life and liberty
which reads as “no person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty
except according to the procedure established by law. This right may be
affected in cases of preventive detention under preventive detention laws. As
such, Constitutional protection against arrest and detention is ensured under
Article 22(1) to (7) of the constitution of India.
 DEFINITIONS­SECTION 2
❧ In this Code, unless the context otherwise requires;

❧
a) .“Bailable Offence” means an offence which is shown as
bailable in the First Schedule, or which is made bailable by
any other law for the time being in force; and “Non­Bailable
offence” means any other offence;
b) .“Charge” includes any head of charge when the charge
contains more heads than one; (accusation) “Cognizable
Offence” means an offence for which, and “Cognizable
Case” means a case in which, a police officer may, in
accordance with the First Schedule or under any other law
for the time being in force, arrest without warrant;
c) “Complaint” means any allegation made orally or in writing
to a Magistrate, with a view to his taking action under this
Code, that some person, whether known or unknown, has
committed an offence, but does not include a police report.
 …..CONTINUED
e. “High Court” means;
❧ in relation to any Stale, the High Court for that State;

❧
❧ in relation to a Union territory to which the jurisdiction of
the High Court for a State has been extended by law, that
High Court;
❧ in relation to any other Union territory, the highest Court of
criminal appeal for that territory other than the Supreme
Court of India;
f. “India” means the territories to which this Code extends;
g. “Inquiry” means every inquiry, other than a trial,
conducted under this Code by a Magistrate or Court;
h. “Investigation” includes all the proceedings under this
Code for the collection of evidence conducted by a police
officer or by any person (other than a Magistrate) who is
authorised by a Magistrate in this behalf;
 …..CONTINUED
i. “Judicial Proceeding” includes any proceeding in the
course of which evidence is or may be legally taken on

❧
oath;
j. Local Jurisdiction”, in relation to a Court or Magistrate,
means the local area within which the Court or Magistrate
may exercise all or any of its or his powers under this Code
and such local area may comprise the whole of the State, or
any part of the State, as the State Government may, by
notification, specify;
k. “Metropolitan Area” means the area declared, or deemed
to be declared, under section 8, to be a metropolitan area;
l.“Non­Cognizable offence’ means an offence for which, and
“non­cognizable case” means a case in which, a police officer
has no authority to arrest without warrant;
m.“Notification” means a notification published in the Official
Gazette;
 ….CONTINUED
n. “Offence” means any act or omission made punishable by any law for
the time being in force and includes any act in respect of which a

❧
complaint may be made under section 20 of the Cattle­trespass Act, 1871
(1 of 1871);
o. “Officer In Charge of a Police Station” includes, when the officer in
charge of the police station is absent from the station­house or unable
from illness or other cause to perform his duties, the police officer present
at the station­house who is next in rank to such officer and is above the
rank of constable or, when, the State Government so directs, any other
police officer so present;
p. “Place” includes a house, building, tent, vehicle and vessel;
q. “Pleader”, when used with reference to any proceeding in any Court,
means a person authorised by or under any law for the time being in force,
to practise in such Court, and includes any other appointed with the
permission of the Court to act in such proceeding;
r. “Police Report” means a report forwarded by a police officer to a
Magistrate under Sub­Section (2) of section 173;
 …..CONTINUED
s. “Police Station” means any post or place declared generally or
specially by the State Government, to be a police station, and

❧
includes any local area specified by the State Government in this
behalf;
t. “Prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Code;
u. “Public Prosecutor” means any person appointed under
section 24, and includes any person acting under the directions of
a Public Prosecutor;
v. “Sub­Division” means a sub­division of a district;
w. “Summons­Case” means a case relating to an offence, and not
being a warrant­case;
x. “Warrant­Case” means a case relating to an offence punishable
with death, imprisonment for life or imprisonment for a term
exceeding two years;
y. words and expressions used herein and not defined but defined
in the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860) have the meanings
respectively assigned to them in that Code.
 CASES

❧
❧ 2 (b). CHARGE­ VC Shukla V State, Air 1972,962.(clear, precise,
Unambiguous nature of accusation).
❧ 2(c) Cognizable offence­ Vadlamudi Kutumba Rao V State of AP,
AIR, 1961, AP 448 (no case which can be partly non cognizable)
❧ 2 (d) Complaint­ Bhimappa v Laxman, AIR 1970, SC 1153
(complaint has a very wide meaning), Chabilal Gurung v Krishna
1984, Cr LJ 1433 (allegations which do not amount to offence
cannot be complaint), Belsand Sugar co. (1965) 2 Cr LJ 389 ( if
facts have offence but is omitted or if wrong IPC S used, does not
vitiate proceedings or jurisdiction of the Court to try a person
complained against, K Ramakrishna V Station House Master,
1986 Cr. LJ 392 (Ker)­ complaint can be sent by post or telegram.
 CASES

❧ 2 (q) Pleader­ T.C Mathai

❧ v. Dist& Sessions Judge
Thiruvananthapuram ,1999 Cr LJ 2092 (SC)­ agent with POA cannot
become pleader unless the party secures permission from the court to
appoint him to act in such proceedings)
❧ 2 (s) Police Station­ Srimantha AIR 1960 Cal 519­ ( a beat house
unless declared generally or specially by the State Govt.to be Police
Station, is not a P.S.) Narayan Das V Bolta Ram, 1973 Cr. LJ 818­ if a
midstream of a river is designated as the boundary between two P.S,
change in course of stream will determine increase or decrease of
jurisdiction of P.S.
❧ 2 ( i ) Public Prosecutor­ T A Rajendra v P.V.Ayyappan 1986 Cr. LJ
1287 (Ker)­ (An Advocate General who has been asked by the Court to
represent the accused in sessions court will not be PP, unless appointed
under S 24 of the code). State of Bihar v. Ram Naresh, AIR 1957, SC
389­( Ppis an executive officer but in a sense he is officer of Court also.
He is bound to assist the Court with his fairly considered view and the
Court is entitled to have the benefit of the fair exercise of his function.