Modern Laws, Old Challenges: Vigilance Bureau Trains Officers to Catch Up with New Criminal Codes
Shimla, November 13
In a bid to keep pace with India’s new criminal justice regime, the State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (SV&ACB), Shimla, conducted a three-day training on the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) — the trio of laws replacing the colonial-era IPC, CrPC, and Evidence Act.
The training, though routine in format, comes at a critical juncture.
With the new laws already in force, vigilance officers — tasked with investigating complex corruption cases — are under pressure to adapt swiftly to changes in procedure, evidence handling, and digital investigation norms.
Under the overall guidance of DGP (HP) Shri Ashok Tewari, the Special Investigation Wing hosted the session at its Shimla headquarters.
Twenty-six officers and staff from various vigilance units participated, attending lectures by legal and forensic experts including Shri Sanjay Sharma (DySP, CDTI Chandigarh), Shri Sandeep Atri (Joint Director, Prosecution), senior trainers from PTC Palampur, and RFSL Junga expert Shri Ashish Mouhila, who led a session on digital forensics.
Superintendent of Police Shri Virender Kalia inaugurated the program, underlining that the “correct understanding and application of new laws is essential for fair and transparent investigation.”
ASP Shri Narvir Singh Rathour, who coordinated the workshop, said that the Bureau conducts regular upskilling exercises to strengthen professionalism and investigation standards among officers.
While the Bureau calls it a “capacity-building” initiative, insiders admit that officers still face major gaps in adapting to digital evidence protocols and the intricate procedural shifts under the BNSS.
“Most vigilance probes involve documents, emails, and digital trails — yet field-level readiness for digital forensics remains patchy,” said a senior officer on condition of anonymity.
As the government pushes for a corruption-free system under the new legal framework, the challenge for the Vigilance Bureau is not just learning new laws — but ensuring that modern policing doesn’t remain confined to the training room.
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