Chain snatching laws to get boost

The state Cabinet on Tuesday approved the decision to make amendments in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Criminal Procedure Code (CRPC) to ensure chain snatching attracts rigorous imprisonment of a minimum of two and maximum of five years. The decision has been taken to check the rising cases of chain snatching, which has become one of the biggest crimes in Mumbai in terms of the number of cases reported.

In the last four years, 800 to 2,000 chain-snatching cases were reported across police stations in Mumbai, as per the Mumbai police’s data. As per the existing law, those arrested in such incidents were booked for charges of theft under Section 379 of the IPC, which attracts maximum punishment of two years or fine. No minimum imprisonment has been specified in the section.

“Now section 379-A (1), (2) and 379-B will be added after section 379. Section 379 A (1) will define chain snatching as a crime and the convict will be sentenced under Section 379-A (2) which provides minimum imprisonment of two years and maximum imprisonment of five years. Section 379-B will be applied when bodily injury is caused to the victim or a weapon is used to threaten the victim, and the minimum punishment for this will be three years’ imprisonment. The maximum punishment under Section 379-B will be five years of imprisonment,” a government official said.

The Cabinet also approved amendments in the CrPC to incorporate enactment of Section 379 A and B in it. The cases will be tried before the court of a first class judicial magistrate.