Law on assault of public servant: Par panel suggests punishment be reduced to 1 year
New Delhi (PTI): A parliamentary panel has recommended that the two-year imprisonment given to anyone who assaults or uses criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty should be reduced to one year after taking into account submissions of some MPs that the law is widely "misused".
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs headed by BJP member Brij Lal made the recommendation after examining the three proposed criminal laws.
In its report, the panel noted that some members of the committee submitted that section 353 under Indian Penal Code (IPC), which corresponds to clause 130 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) is "widely misused by public servants in the name of deterrence".
"As the political demonstrations are the soul of democracy and there are instances in the past when political leaders were harassed and falsely convicted for offences under this section of IPC while demonstrating, therefore, it was suggested that the punishment under this clause may be reduced.
"The committee agrees with the submission made before it and recommends that the punishment provided under clause 130 may be reduced from two years to one year," it said.
The clause 130 of BNS says: Whoever assaults or uses criminal force to any person being a public servant in the execution of his duty as such public servant, or with intent to prevent or deter that person from discharging his duty as such public servant, or in consequence of anything done or attempted to be done by such person in the lawful discharge of his duty as such public servant, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.
The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS-2023) bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 11 along with Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS-2023) and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA-2023) bills.
The three proposed laws seek to replace the Code of Criminal Procedure Act, 1898, the Indian Penal Code, 1860, and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, respectively.
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4 held for sexually assaulting woman, girl on moving bus after social media alert in UP's Agra
Agra (UP) (PTI): Four people were arrested, after a prompt response by police following a social media alert, for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman and a girl inside a moving bus here, officials said on Tuesday.
According to an official police statement, at 12:27 am on April 27, information was received on the social media platform X about an incident of sexual assault on a bus travelling from Kanpur to Ahmedabad, which was approaching Namner crossing in Agra.
Acting under the direction of Police Commissioner Deepak Kumar, the Agra Police social media team immediately alerted the Rakabganj police station within minutes and coordinated with the victims to confirm the incident and obtain the exact location, it stated.
Police teams launched intensive checking at Namner crossing and intercepted the bus as it reached the spot. The four accused involved in the incident were apprehended on the spot, and legal action was initiated against them, the statement said.
The police said the swift response and coordination between the social media team and field units ensured timely action, bringing relief to the victims and other passengers, who expressed gratitude towards the police, it added.
