India, Nov. 25 -- For the first time in the national capital, Delhi Police has utilised the provisions under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) for trial in absentia in a murder case. It has filed a chargesheet, framed charges and started a trial in a case where it has yet to arrest the main accused given the seriousness of the crime.

BNSS section 356 allows police and courts to go for in-absentia trial for proclaimed offenders in "heinous" cases. According to police, the law was introduced so that cases are not stuck in limbo in case the accused is not caught in time.

There were no provisions under the earlier Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) - which the BNSS replaced in July last year. Only in a few cases, some exceptions ...