Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita

Criminal Liability of Non-Executive Directors: A New Ray of Hope

Summary: This blog compares Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (“BNSS”), with Section 200 of the erstwhile Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (“CrPC”). The analysis highlights how the new provision introduces an additional safeguard against prosecution for non-executive directors.Continue Reading Criminal Liability of Non-Executive Directors: A New Ray of Hope

Summary: This article aims to examine the contours of Section 223 of the BNSS, with a special focus on courts’ interpretation of the proviso to Section 223(1) of the BNSS and its practical implications.

Introduction

On December 25, 2023, India enacted a transformative triumvirate of laws – the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (“BNSS”), and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023. These new criminal laws became effective on July 1, 2024, repealing and replacing the long-standing pillars of criminal law – Indian Penal Code, 1860, the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (“CrPC”), and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, respectively.Continue Reading Demystifying Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023

Renewed focus on Liberty - Delhi High Court upholds Constitutional Safeguards on Bail under PMLA

Securing bail under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (“PMLA“), is challenging due to the high threshold for bail stipulated by the Act. Section 45 of the PMLA stipulates that bail may be granted to an accused in a money laundering case only if two conditions are met: first, the Public Prosecutor must be given the opportunity to oppose the bail application; second, there must be prima facie satisfaction that the accused has not committed the offence and is not likely to commit any offence while on bail. It is frequently contended that these twin conditions pose a significant challenge to the prevailing legal principle in criminal jurisprudence that “bail is the rule and jail is the exception”. The Hon’ble Supreme Court has observed that the twin conditions challenge an accused’s right to liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution[1].Continue Reading Renewed focus on Liberty – Delhi High Court upholds Constitutional Safeguards on Bail under PMLA