The Union Government has decided not to implement in the near future the recent amendments in Criminal Procedure Code(CrPc) giving discretionary powers to a police officer not to arrest a person facing allegations on an offence having maximum sentence of up to 7 years.
Indications to this effect were given by Union Law Minister H R Bhardwaj during Holi Milan celebrations with lawyers.
The Amendment bill was passed on December 23 last year along with seven other Bills within 17 minutes in Parliament without having any discussion.
The Bill has also received the assent of President Pratibha Devisingh Patil but is awaiting government notification to enforce it.
If the recommendations are implemented it will give free hand to police officers to let off those involved in cheating, extortion, dowry harassment and kidnapping and it will send wrong and encouraging signals to the criminals and also to the politicians with criminal antecedents because they will no longer have fear of being arrested.
The Law Minister said that the government was prepared to have a re-look at the Bill and Parliament may also reconsider the shortcomings in the Bill.
