India’s Overhauled Criminal Justice Framework to Tackle Organised Crime and Digital Offences

Why the reform now

India’s criminal justice framework until recently continued to operate under statutes dating back to the 19th and mid-20th centuries—namely the Indian Penal Code, the Criminal Procedure Code and the Indian Evidence Act. Critics argued that these laws were ill-equipped to handle modern forms of crime—organised syndicates, trans-national trafficking, cyber-enabled fraud, digital evidence or rapid prosecution demands. The government therefore enacted three new laws—the BNS, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA)—which came into force on 1 July 2024. 

Under this framework, the government emphasises that “justice, not punishment” is the guiding principle, and faster investigation, clearer victim protections and stronger technology leverage underpin the reform. A national conference held by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the National Judicial Academy in November 2025 reiterated this vision.

Key legal and procedural changes

The major shifts introduced by the reforms include:

• A comprehensive replacement of the IPC, CrPC and Evidence Act with BNS, BNSS and BSA respectively.
• Introduction of timelines for investigations and prosecutions: for example, police investigations in offences against women or children are expected to be completed within 60-90 days under the new code.
• Stronger definitions and enhanced powers to address organised crime, cyber-enabled offences and digital evidence. For instance, in Rajasthan a case was registered under Section 111 of BNS for an organised-crime gang. 
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What the data shows so far

States are already registering significant activity under the new legal regime. For example, in the state of Maharashtra, between July 2024 and September 2025, authorities recorded 958 online FIRs and over 1.3 lakh chargesheets filed within mandated periods under the new system.

The data suggests that agencies are adjusting to the new timelines and digital requirements, though commentators caution that the real impact on convictions, case backlog and victim outcomes remains to be seen.

Why this matters for organised crime and digital offences

The updated legal architecture is especially relevant for tackling:

• Organised syndicates operating across states that rely on older weak-punishment models. Under Section 111 BNS and related provisions, law-enforcement now has deeper prosecutorial tools for gangs, financial network tracing and cross-border trafficking. In Rajasthan, the Bishnoi gang case illustrates this shift. 
• Cyber-fraud, digital money-laundering and newer methods of crime where data trails and digital platforms drive wrongdoing. The requirement for forensic evidence, logging and digital records is now enshrined.
• Speed of justice and deterrence: By encouraging faster investigation and clearer sentencing rules, the reforms aim to improve public trust and reduce the impunity of repeat offenders.

Challenges to implementation

While the legislative update is substantial, several practical hurdles remain:

• Human-resource and training gaps: State police forces and prosecution agencies will need large-scale capacity building in digital forensics, new procedures, victim-oriented workflows and IT-tools. Many units still operate under legacy systems.
• Backlog and transition issues: While new cases are being filed, older-case backlog under the older codes remains significant and the transition may lead to further delays unless managed.
• Technology and infrastructure: Effective use of forensic vans, digital evidence collection, video-recording of raids, chain-of-custody protocols all depend on robust infrastructure—some states are lagging. (For example, the Status of Policing in India Report 2025 points to persistent issues in evidence quality and case disposal. ) 
• Rights and scrutiny concerns: Civil-society and legal experts caution that broader police powers and faster timelines may weaken safeguards for accused persons and that the balance between efficiency and rights remains to be tested.

The success of reform therefore hinges not just on law-books but on ground-level execution, accountability and safeguards.

What to watch over the next 12-18 months

Key indicators and triggers will include:

1. Number of organised-crime cases filed and convicted under new chapters of BNS, and how many result in successful prosecution.
2. Reduction in average investigation and trial durations for offences under the new regime—especially for serious crimes and offences involving digital evidence.
3. Expansion and audit of forensic infrastructure (mobile forensic vans, digital-evidence labs) across states and major cities.
4. Impact on victim-services: proportion of victims receiving copy of FIR, timely evidence updates, and enhanced rights promised by the reform.
5. Adoption of technology-platforms—digital FIR systems, e-witness modules, AI/predictive policing tools integrated with new law enforcement workflows.

Implications for stakeholders

– Law-enforcement agencies: Must prepare for a new operational paradigm—faster timelines, digital-first evidence protocols, centralised data flows and inter-state coordination.
– Legal profession and judiciary: Prosecutors and defence counsel will need to adapt to revised definitions, digital evidence standards and tighter procedural deadlines.
– Victims and citizens: The promise is of greater transparency, quicker access to justice, and stronger protections—but also the onus is on citizens to engage with digital systems and track case status actively.
– Policy-makers and civil-society: Vigilance will be required to ensure rights are preserved, the new system does not lead to unintended overreach, and infrastructure gaps do not widen inequalities in access to justice.

Conclusion

India’s overhaul of its criminal-justice architecture marks a defining moment in its law-and-order policy. With the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the state has signalled that crime must be confronted with contemporary tools, speed and scale. However, law alone cannot guarantee change—real transformation hinges on systems, training, technology, accountability and rights-awareness.

For citizens, the message is clear: a new era of policing and prosecution is underway. For administrators, the mandate is urgent: deliver justice, not just faster—but better. The next 12 to 24 months will reveal whether the promise becomes practice or remains aspiration.