Kerala woman cop fails BNSS Section test, SP orders out of code punishment

When a woman sub-inspector (SI) failed to answer a Section on Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which has replaced Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), Pathanamthitta district police chief Ajith V couldn't think of a better idea to make her learn. The woman official was made to write the Section in detail twice on paper, scan it and send it to him by e-mail.

During a daily briefing, the superintendent of police asked the woman SI about the Section dealing with filing of FIR in BNSS. The woman official reportedly drew a blank. Pat came the punishment -- write it two times and send it to the official mail Id.

The part she failed to answer was Section 173 of BNSS (Information to the police and their powers to investigate). The chief specifically wanted to know about the Section to file an FIR when dealt with complaints filed by women against whom offences like rape, outraging the modesty, assault etc have been committed or attempted.

BNSS section says that if the information is given by the woman against whom an offence under the above-mentioned crimes are committed, then such information shall be recorded by a woman police officer or any woman officer. It further says that if the complainant is temporarily or permanently mentally or physically disabled, then such information shall be recorded by the woman police officer at the residence of the person seeking to report such offence or at a convenient place of such person's choice, in the presence of an interpreter or a special educator.

"These officers have undergone 3-4 rounds of training on new laws. I asked about the Section via wireless and there was no answer. During my early days in service, I was made to write 100 times or more if we failed to answer a query related to law from our superiors. Considering that, this is only reasonable and the Section deals with filing of FIR in crimes against women and a woman official ought to know that. The SI soon complied and sent it to me by mail,'' said Ajith V.