Representative image showing a police van.
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New Delhi: Former senior police officers, including a former CBI chief, have said that new criminal laws, which came into force on Monday will ensure speedy justice to the victims.
Former Maharashtra DGP Sanjeev Dayal said the three new criminal laws are a "welcome change" from the colonial mindset of previous laws.
"They bring necessary emphasis on crime against women reflecting concerns on rape, molestation and child trafficking. The use of scientific aids to investigation should help in securing better conviction rates and a cap on adjournments by the courts should get faster justice to victims," he said.
Dayal was part of a committee, which also included senior police officers, including Satish Sahney, MR Reddy and SS Puri besides three young officers nominated by the then Maharashtra DGP in 2020.
The committee had made recommendation to bring victimology to the centre of criminal justice system.
"It is very satisfying to see many of the recommendations codified. Now it is over to implementing agencies and courts," he said.
Echoing Dayal, another former Maharashtra police DGP AN Roy also said that new laws take victim-centric approach compared to the British Era Penal Code.
"The provisions in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita aim to provide timely justice to women and children with increased punishment under these cases. It introduces digital electronic evidence reviews along with more focus on national security," Roy said.
Former CBI chief and Mumbai Police ex-Commissioner Subodh Kumar Jaiswal said the new laws represent a tectonic shift towards a people centric approach to justice.
"This will ensure justice is served rightly, timely and swiftly. Indian criminal justice system is now more victim friendly and justice oriented, a transformation achieved through extensive deliberation," he said.
Jaiswal said the new laws will address the challenges arising due to cyber enabled crimes.
Former SPG Director MR Reddy said the new laws will bring "paradigm shift" in enforcing scientific investigation and speeding up disposal of cases.