Mumbai | Day 2: First arrests under the new laws

The Kasturba Marg police have registered their first FIR under the new laws and have become the city's first police station to arrest an accused under these provisions. They have apprehended a gang involved in stealing mobile phones from buses. According to police sources, complainant Rohit Ramakant Girkar reported that while travelling from Kandivli East to Borivli Station East in a BEST bus, his OnePlus mobile phone was stolen at around 6 pm on Monday. He provided descriptions of suspicious individuals to the police.

Under the guidance of DCP Smita Patil and ACP Kishore Gaike, the crime investigation team was dispatched to nearby bus stops. At the Ghanshyam Tower bus stop, four individuals matching the description were spotted. Upon approaching them, the two suspects attempted to flee but were swiftly apprehended. Interrogation revealed the stolen mobile phone and six other phones. Owners of two phones were traced; they were stolen from Borivli bus stop on July 1," said an officer from Kasturba Marg police station.

Representation pic

A case under the provisions of new law Section 303(2), 3(5) Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was registered, and the four individuals were arrested. The arrested accused were identified as Tukaram Dhondiba Shinde alias Pintya, 34, Sajid Ikram Qureshi, 24, Javed Ikram Qureshi, 26, and Jamshed Sharifuddin Ansari, 24.

Previous Law: IPC 379
Under Section 379 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), theft, including pickpocketing, is punishable by up to three years in prison, a fine, or both. Theft is a non-bailable offence.

New Law: BNS 303(2)
BNS defines theft in Section 303(2) as taking someone's property without consent. For petty thefts (under R5,000), a first-time offender may be given community service instead of imprisonment or fines, provided the stolen property is returned. For subsequent offence, the offender can be punished with RI for one year that can be extended up to five years.

Repeat offenders

>> The accused had previous criminal records in Bhiwandi, Kasarwadoli, Kalyan, Kalwa, Mulund, Churchgate, Borivli, Wadala, Bandra, Vashi, Charkop, Arey Colony, Kurar, and Dindoshi police.

>> They used to travel in BEST buses and train in a group. After fixing targets, two of them would distract the victim while boarding the bus or train. The third suspect would steal the mobile phone and hand it to a fourth accomplice who then left the scene.

>> Four offences committed by the accused in the past under the jurisdiction of Kasturba Marg police station have been disclosed, the accused were produced before the court today and they were remanded in police custody the officer added.

3 yrs
Maximum punishment pickpockets get under IPC

5 yrs
Maximum punishment they face under BNS