NEW DELHI: Delhi government, in consonance with Delhi Police’s proposal, has asked the Centre to
amend the laws related to
snatching. While legal experts acknowledged that bringing in a new law was difficult, an amendment to an existing law could be more easily adopted, as has been done in
Haryana to make the crime a non-bailable offence.
Police officers pointed out that Delhi government could pass a resolution on such an amendment and then seek the President’s assent. The Union ministry of home affairs could also issue a notification in this regard, with MCOCA and some other laws being applied in Delhi through such notifications being the precedents. “Parliament will be involved only if changes are sought in the Indian Penal Code,” an officer said.
Criminal lawyer Dil Jit Singh Ahluwalia felt the law had not kept pace with the increase in the crime in the capital. “The legislature needs to recognise snatching as an independent, cognisable offence and lay down punishment of at least three years’ imprisonment increasing to five years for repeat commission of the crime,” Ahluwalia said.
Earlier this week, Delhi government informed Delhi high court about its communication to the Centre on the need for a law on snatching. The bench of acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar, which is hearing a petition by advocate Prashan Manchanda, asked the Union home ministry to file a status report on the action taken by it on Delhi government’s letter.
Delhi Police’s proposal, which is being examined by the state home department, seeks two special sections, A and B, to be added to Section 379 of IPC to make the offence non-bailable and specify punishment. Haryana has similarly made the crime non-bailable and punishable by up to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment. Currently, Delhi Police invokes Section 379 (theft) and 356 (assault or criminal force during theft) while booking snatchers.
