The 2023 Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita Bill tabled in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday proposes to widen the definition of “terrorist act” to include actions that threaten India’s economic security.
The bill, which seeks to replace the Indian Penal Code, says that actions done with the intention to threaten the “economic security of India” that cause or are likely to cause “damage to the monetary stability of India by way of production or smuggling or circulation of counterfeit Indian paper currency, coin or of any other material” will be considered terrorist acts.
Acts threatening or likely to threaten the unity, integrity, security and the sovereignty of the country will continue to be defined as terrorism.
Section 113 of the draft law defines terrorism as “any act with the intent to threaten or likely to threaten the unity, integrity, sovereignty, security, or economic security of India or with the intent to strike terror or likely to strike terror in the people or any section of the people in India or in any foreign country”.
The strategies by which this could be achieved include “the use of bombs, explosives, firearms, or other lethal weapons or poisonous or noxious gases or other chemicals or by any other substance (whether biological, radioactive, nuclear or otherwise) of a hazardous nature or by any other means of whatever nature”.
In addition, terror includes “damage to, the monetary stability of India by way of production or smuggling or circulation of counterfeit Indian paper currency, coin or of any other material”.
The use of “criminal force” against any public official or the abduction of a person to compel the government to make decisions is also covered under the definition of the terrorist act.
Anyone found guilty of committing a terror offence would be punished with death or imprisonment for life, the bill says. Those who conspire, abet, incite or facilitate the commission of a terrorist act could face imprisonment of not less than five years. The punishment can be extended to a life sentence.
Apart from the Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, the Centre also introduced the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita bill to replace the Code of Criminal Procedure Act, 1898, and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam bill to replace the Indian Evidence Act, 1872.
The first versions of the three bills were introduced in Parliament in August when the draft legislations were referred to the parliamentary standing committee by the Lok Sabha Speaker.
After incorporating some of the suggestions from the committee, the bills were reintroduced in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
The bills will be discussed in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
Also read: New criminal law bills are not anti-colonial, explained
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!