Kerala police register first FIR against Karnataka native under new criminal law

The Kerala police have registered their first FIR under the newly implemented Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, a monumental shift in India’s criminal justice system. The case involves a 24-year-old man from Karnataka, apprehended for rash and negligent driving near the Kondotty police station.

The young man, from Madikeri, Karnataka, was charged under Section 281 of the BNS and Section 194D of the Motor Vehicle Act for not wearing protective headgear. Caught at midnight by police at Kolathur junction, the case was registered at 12:20 am, SHO A Deepakumar confirmed.

Despite the arrest, the accused was released on bail, though his two-wheeler was taken into custody. This FIR stands as a significant milestone since it follows the implementation of three new criminal laws replacing the colonial-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, and Indian Evidence Act.