Police remand period continues to be 15 days under BNS: Amit Shah

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah made it clear that the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which came into force on Monday, has the provision of maximum 15-day police custody like the erstwhile IPC and dispelled confusion that the remand period has been extended.

Addressing a press conference after the implementation of BNS along with two other new criminal laws, Shah said confusion is being created that the time period has been increased for police remand.

"I want to clarify that in BNS also remand period is 15 days. Earlier if an accused was sent to police remand and he got himself admitted in a hospital for 15 days then there was no interrogation as his remand period used to expire. In BNS, there will be remand for maximum 15 days but it can be taken in parts within upper limit of 60 days," he said.

Shah also clarified that the first case registered under the BNS was at Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh and it was related to a motorcycle theft.

He said the case was for a value of Rs 1,80,000.

The home minister said the case against a street vendor in Delhi was not the first case registered under the BNS and that police have disposed of the Delhi case by using the provision of review.

The BNS, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) came into effect on Monday, replacing the British-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act, respectively.