New criminal laws biggest reform of 21st century: Shah

Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday underlined the importance of timely justice, the rising role of forensic science in countering terrorism and the significance of the three newly introduced criminal laws, calling them the "biggest reform of the 21st century".

Speaking at the All-India Forensic Summit, Shah said the government was striving to ensure that those who seek justice receive it promptly and that the outcome was satisfying.

"Our main goal is to build a secure, capable, and empowered India," Shah said.

Addressing the summit, he said: "The Government of India has introduced three new laws aimed at strengthening the criminal justice system. This summit has been organised to discuss two key aspects: the effective implementation of these new laws and the future role of forensic science in countering terrorism."

He further said in today's world, timely justice and improving the conviction rate were impossible without the support of forensic science. "The nature of crime has changed significantly and criminals are now using technology and modern communication tools, making crime borderless. Earlier, crimes were mostly confined to districts, cities, or countries, but now, they have no boundaries. That's why the importance of forensic science has increased," Shah pointed out. The Home Minister also mentioned that laws which were not updated failed to fulfill their purpose.

"The three old laws were not made to deliver justice to citizens but to maintain the rule of the British government. The three new laws are made by the citizens, for the citizens, and to protect their rights. This is the biggest reform of the 21st century," Shah emphasised.