Hyderabad: The Shamshabad police started registering vehicle theft cases under Section 305(b) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which carries a jail term of up to seven years’ and a fine, instead of Section 303(2), intended for general thefts with a maximum punishment of three years’ imprisonment.The move comes in the wake of a TOI report published on May 29, which highlighted inconsistencies in the enforcement of new criminal laws across states. While police in Delhi and several other states were already invoking Section 305(b) of the BNS, specifically designated for vehicle thefts, states like Telangana continued to apply the more lenient Section 303(2) of the BNS.The state CID also took note of the report and referred it to the Joint Working Group on New Criminal Laws to seek legal opinion regarding the applicability of the new section for vehicle thefts. According to NCRB figures, Telangana records over 7,500 vehicle thefts annually, placing it among the top ten states in the country for such crimes.The lack of awareness or differing interpretations had previously prevented Telangana police from invoking Section 305(b), thereby weakening the deterrent intent of the stricter legislation. Following the TOI report, senior officers in the Shamshabad zone addressed the issue and decided to implement the provision within their jurisdiction. The RGI Airport police station was the first to register vehicle theft cases under Section 305(b) of the BNS, recording approximately ten cases in June and July.Earlier this week, Mohammed Shareef Khan (30), a resident of Satamrai, reported the theft of his scooter parked in front of his house. Similarly, on July 19, S Abhilash (31), a physiotherapist, reported the theft of his bike parked at his apartment in Shamshabad. Both incidents were filed under Section 305(b) of the BNS at RGI Airport.“Now, other police stations in the zone have also started invoking the section for vehicle thefts,” said RGI Airport Inspector K Balaraju. However, police in other zones of Cyberabad, as well as other commissionerates in the capital, continued to use Section 303(2) of the BNS for such cases.The Telangana CID, responsible for the implementation of New Criminal Laws in the state, acknowledged the TOI report and has referred the matter to the Joint Working Group on NCL implementation for a legal opinion, sources stated.
