MIMAL RIGHTS INZAHSAK A PAWIHMAWH

- B Lalramenga

Covid-19 hri leng avanga kan in ‘lockdown’ mek laiin Social Media lamah Police ni lemlo duty dang ni awm takte’n mi an vua in kut an thlak lai video a darh nasa hle mai. Hetianga kut thlaktute hi Local Task Force emaw NGO lam duty-te an ni ngei em tih phei chu ka hre chuang lo a. Engpawhnise, India khua leh tui kan nih chuan tu mai pawh hian kan ram Dan kan hriat hi a tulin a pawimawh em em a. India khua leh tui kan nihna in a ken tel kan ‘Rights’ te hi inzahsak theuh a pawimawh hle bawk. Hemi chungchang hi han sawi zau deuh ta i la.

India ramin Dan Pui (Constitution of India) kan nei a. Article 245 of the Constitution of India hnuaiah Parliament hian India ram pum huapa Dan siam theihna power a nei a, chutiang bawk chuan State Sawrkar pawhin State huam chhunga Dan siam theihna power a nei bawk. Chutiang Dan siamte zawm chu kan tih ve tur (Fundamental Duties) te zinga mi anih thu Article 51-A of the Constitution of India ah kan hmu bawk. Thil tisualtu te man leh a kaihhnawih (Criminal Law) chungchangah Parliament chuan ‘The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973’ (a tawi zawngin ‘CrPC’ tiin sawi tawh mai ila) Dan a siam a. He Dan hian mi thil tisualtu man dan leh Court-a an chungchang thu rel dan turte leh a kaihhnawih thil dang tam tak a sawi a ni. Chutianga thil tisualtu te hremna Dan ‘Indian Penal Code, 1860’ (a lam tawiin ‘IPC’) a siam leh bawk a. Tin, hrem an nih theihna tur chuan thil an tisual ngei ani tih finfiah phawt a tul thin avangin chumi atan chuan ‘Indian Evidence Act, 1872’ siam a ni leh bawk. Heng Dan bakah hian Dan dang (Special Act), ‘Criminal Law’ bika a peng hrang hrangah te siam a awm teuh bawk a ni. Hetiang ang Dan hi State Sawrkar-te pawhin anmahni State bika hman tura an siam pawh a awm nual bawk.

IPC leh Dan dang (Special Act) ah te hian thil tihsual (offence) leh thil tisualtu hrem dan tur - a tan rei zawng tur leh fine a chawi zat turte tarlan a ni a. IPC bikah hian chutiang thil tisualtu chu an thil tihsual (offence) a zirin Police te’n Magistrate hnen atanga man phalna (Warrant of Arrest) la hmasa zet lo chuan an man theih lohte a awm bawk, entirnan- intihhmingchhiat (Defamation) case ah te hian Police Station-ah FIR thehluh ni mahse thil tisualtu-a puh chu Police te’n Magistrate phalna la hmasa lo chuan an man ngawt theilo. Police-in Magistrate atanga man phalna Warrant lak kher ngailo a an man nghal theihna chi ho hi ‘cognizable offence’ tia sawi niin man tura Warrant of Arrest lak phawt ngai chi hi ‘non-cognizable offence’ tih a ni bawk.

CrPC Dan kan tih hian Police thuneihna leh thil tisuala puhte an man dan tur a sawi a. Mi man dan tur hi Chapter –V (Section 41 to 60-A) ah chipchiar taka tarlan a ni. Section 41 of CrPC hian Police te’n Warrant tel lova an man nghal theih dan a sawi a, chumi zinga thenkhatte chu- Police Officer awm lai ngeia miin ‘cognizable offence’ a tihsual chuan man nghal theih a ni. Tin, Police Officer duty lai tibuai tu pawh Warrant tel lova man nghal theih a ni. Thil tisualtu nia puhin a tihsual nia sawi chu ‘cognizable offence’ anih mai piah lamah a hrem theihna pawh kum sarih chunglam Lung In tan theihna a nihin man nghal theih bawk ani. Thil tihsual nia sawi (offence) chu ‘cognizable offence’ anih mai bakah a hrem theihna chu kum sarih hnuailam Lung In tan theihna a nih erawh chuan Police Officer chuan Warrant tel lova man tur chuan thil tisuala puh chu a tisual ngei a ni tih rinna lian tak a neih a ngaiin man nghal tulna chhan tha tak a hmu tur a ni. Chutianga man a tulna chhan chu Police Officer hian ziakin a ‘record’ kher a ngai bawk a ni. Chuvang chuan, a nazawng a inman hi tih ngawt tur pawh a ni lo. In man (Arrest) chungchang hi India rama Court sang ber Supreme Court chuan chiang takin ‘Arnesh Kumar –versus- State of Bihar & Another’ case, (2014) 8 SCC 273 –a report –ah a sawilang a. He case-ah hian Supreme Court hian hetiang hian a sawi – ‘non-bailable’ leh ‘cognizable offence’ a ni tih vang emaw Police-in man theihna power a nei alawm tih vang ngawt emaw in mi a man ngawt tur a ni lo, Police Officer -in mi a manin a man chhan tha tak a sawi (justify) thei tur a ni. Supreme Court thuremna/thutlukna pawh hi Dan a ni nghal a, a hnuaia Court dang awm zawng zawng te chuan a zawm ve vek tur a ni tih hi Article 141 of the Constitution of India ah chiang taka ziahlan a ni.

Mi man a nihin man a nih chhan chiang taka hrilh tur ani a (Section 50 CrPC), a chhungte hnenah pawh man a nih chungchang leh an manna hmunte pawh chiang taka hrilh tur a ni (Section 50-A CrPC). Warrant tel lova mi man anih chuan man anih atanga chhiara darkar 24 chhung ngei ngeiin Police-in Magistrate hnenah a hruai tur a ni [Section 57 CrPC leh Article 22(2) of the Constitution of India]. Hetah hian Magistrate hnena an hruaina a hun hman erawh chhiar tel loh tur a ni. Section 60-A CrPC chuan CrPC Chapter-V hnuaia mi man dan tur sawi ang leh Dan dang (Special Act) in a sawi ang ni lo chuan mi man (arrest) loh tur ani a ti.

Hmeichhia te hi awm nem zawk leh dim ngai an nih avangin Dan pawh hian a humhalh lehzual bik hle a. Hmeichhia man anih in Police Officer hmeichhia bawkin a man anih si loh chuan, loh theih loh thilte anih ngawt loh chuan Police Officer mipa in a kutin a man/khawih tur a ni lo. Tin, dan naran in hmeichhia chu ni tlak hnu leh ni chhuah leh hmain man loh tur a ni. Thim hnua hmeichhia chu man ngei ngei ngai thil anih pawhin hmeichhe Police Officer in Judicial Magistrate 1st Class hnen atanga phalna la hmasa in a man thei chauh a ni [Section 46 CrPC]. Hmeichhia chu Police hmeichhia ngeiin a dap (search) tur a ni [Section 100(3) CrPC].

Section 43 CrPC hnuaiah hian Police nilo, mimal (private person) in mi kan man ve theih dan a sawi a. Chu chu – kan hmuh lai rengin leh kan bul hnai maiah tuin emaw ‘non-bailable’ leh ‘cognizable offence’ a tihsual chuan kan man ve thei a ni. Mahse, a rang thei ang berin (without unnecessary delay) kan mi man chu Police Officer emaw Police Station hnai berah ka hruai nghal tur a ni. Kan lo check ve emaw an thil tihsual kan lo chhui ve chiam te pawh kan tih tur a nilo. A chunga sawi tawh ang khian IPC-ah hian thil tihsual (offence) kan tih te hi ‘bailable’ (bail nghal theih chi) leh ‘non-bailable’ (Court-a bail dil ngai chi) te then hran vek a ni a; ‘cognizable offence’ leh ‘non-cognizable offence’ erawh chu a chunglam ah khian kan sawifiah tawh kha. Police te hian dan anga hma an lakna kawngah pui tura min tih chuan kan pui ngei tur a ni a, thil tisual kan hria anih pawhin zep ngawt lovin Magistrate emaw Police Officer hnenah emaw kan hrilh bawk tur a ni, hei hi Section 37 & 39 CrPC ah kan hmu. Hetiang kan sawi bak baka thuneihna kan kutah a awm emaw tia hma kan lo lak ve ngawt chuan dan kalh a ni thung.

CrPC emaw Dan dangah pawh Police emaw mimal emaw pawhin mi a manin kutthlak emaw diriam/rikrap emaw a phal thu a inziak reng renglo. Section 49 CrPC ah chuan mi man anih in a tlanbo loh nana tul bak khuahkhirhna piahlam ah a lakah khuahkhirhna dang siam loh tur a ti hial zawk a ni. Entirnan, Lock-Up a khung reng tawh chunga phuar beh tlat leh zel emaw a remlo tihna a ni thei ang. Kut inthlak ngawt te hi a diklo a, chutianga kut thlaktu chu Section 323, 324, 325 & 326 IPC ah te na taka hrem theih a ni. Tin, hmeichhe zahawmna hi awlsam te a tihbawrhban mai theih a nih avangin chutianga titu chu Section 354 IPC hnuaiah hrem theih a ni bawk. Invauna/inrikrap (Criminal Intimidation) pawh Section 506 IPC hnuaiah hrem theih a ni.

Ruihhlo (Drugs) chungchang bikah hian Dan hrang hrangte awm bawk mahse a khuahkhirhna leh hemi thila thil tisualte hrem theihna Dan lar deuh ber chu ‘The Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985’ (a lam tawiin ‘ND&PS Act’) Parliament-in a siam hi a ni a, he Dan Section 41 to 50 ah te hian ruihhlo kaihhnawiha thil tisuala puh man dan tur leh dap (search) dan tur tarlan a ni. Mimal emaw Pawl ang emaw pawhin mi man leh search phal a nilo. Police/Excise Officer leh he Dan in phalna a pek dangte- Customs Deptt. a thawk, Sipai etc., te chauhlo chuan mi an man ve theilo. He ND&PS Act hnuaiah phei hi chuan mi man dan hi a hrangin sawi a ni lehnghal. He Dan hnuaiah phei hi chuan ruihhlo kawl nia rinhlelh chu mimal emaw Pawl emaw in a/an dap (search) ve thianglo a, an man ve ngawt theilo bawk. He Dan Section 42-in a sawi thuneitute chauhin an dap/check thei a ni. Hemi chungchang hi Supreme Court pawhin ‘Roy V.D. –versus- State of Kerala’ case, (2000) 8 SCC 590 a report-ah chiang takin a sawi. He Dan hnuaiah hian rinhlelh hmeichhia dap ngai chu hmeichhia bawklo chuan a dap (search) tur a ni lo [Section 50(4) of ND&PS Act]. Section 43 CrPC hian private person (mimal) in mi thil tisual a man theih dan lo sawi mahsela ND&PS Act hnuaiah hi chuan mimal emaw Pawl emaw in man leh dap (arrest & search) theihna a nei ve lo, a chhan chu he Dan (Special Act) hian a hranpa in thuneihna a pek ve loh vang a ni. CrPC hi chu general law a ni a, ruihhlo kaihhnawih a mi man leh dap dante hi chu ND&PS Act (Special Act) in a sawi ang chauhin tih tur a ni a, ND&PS Act nena inkalh a nih loh chauhin CrPC a mi man leh dap dante hi chu hman theih ve chauh a ni [Section 51 of ND&PS Act]. CrPC leh ND&PS Act te hi Parliament Dan siam ve ve ni mahse, ruihhlo man chungchang a ‘search & arrest’ thilah chuan ND&PS Act hi Special Act anih avangin a chungnung zawk a ni, chu chu Supreme Court –in ‘Sharat Babu Digumarti –versus- Government (NCT of Delhi)’ case-a a thuremna, (2017) 2 SCC 18 – a report ah pawh chiang takin a sawi. Chuvang chuan, tlawmngai Pawlin emaw a mimal a thahnemngai in emaw ruihhlo kawl nia rinhlelhte kan lo man leh dap (search) ve ringawt anih chuan Court-a an chungchang thu ngaihtuah anih hunah chung kan mi mante chu chhuah zalenna chance tha kan pe mai mai zawk ani tih hriat a tha hle. A man theitu Police/Excise officer hnenah te hriattir vat mai a finthlak hle a ni. Tlanbo mai thei tur an nih dawn chuan dan kalh lutuk silo in Police/Excise lam an lo thlen hmaa lo tihkhawtlai dante pawh dap ta mai zawk ila.

Criminal Law ah chuan mi thil tisualtu ni a puhte hi Court-in thiam loh a chantir hma chuan ‘Thil tisual a puh’ (Accused) ti chuahin an sawi thin. Magistrate hma an inpuanna tih loh Police leh Excise Officer te hmaa an inpuanna te hi chu thu tlinga pawm theih a ni ngawtlo ania, chu chu Section 25 & 26 of Indian Evidence Act, 1872 ah kan hmu. Hrem an nih theihna tur chuan an thil tihsual chu rinhlelh rualloh khawpa tihchian (proved beyond reasonable doubt) a nih a ngai a. Thil an tisual lo nia rin theihna tlem a lo awm zeuh anih chuan chumi avang lek pawh chuan thil tisual reng pawh chhuah zalen theihin an awm tlat, chutiang chu ‘benefit of doubt’ tih a ni. Chutianga thil tisualtu te hrem loha an chhuah loh nan chuan an tisual ngei a ni tih chiang taka tihchian (prove) a tul ta thin a ni. Chutianga tichiang tu tur chu a mantu Sawrkar/Police/Excise lamte an ni ta a, a mantu (thil an tisual tia puhtu) in an evidence/thuhretute chu Court-ah phawrhin leh hruaiin an tichiang tur a ni, Section 101 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 in a sawi. Police/Excise Deptt. lamte’n Court-a an evidence/thuhretu an phawrh/hruai hunah an man dante, an dap (search) dante leh Dan in a sawi thil dangte chu dik takin an ti a ni tihte leh chu ‘Accused’ chuan thil a tisual ngei a ni tih rinhlelh rualloh a tihchian a tul thin ta a ni. Chutiang anih takah chuan a man theitu leh a check/dap theitu nilo te’n kan lo tih ve thinte hian thil tisual reng si chu ‘benefit of doubt’ neiin a chhuak zalen thei tlat a ni. ‘Chutiang si se chu Court pawhin a hmuh hmaih lui ve mai thei lawm ni?’ tih ngaihdan pawh a awm thei maithei, mahse Dan Tarmit atang chuan hmuh hmaih ngawt a thiang silo a ni. Khawtlang leh NGO te hian hei hi kan hriat fiah a tul hlein ka hria. Thil tisualte hrem an nih ngei theihna turin tupawh Police/Excise lamte’n thuhretu atan min hmang anih chuan kan thu hriatte chu Court hmaah puan chhuah ngei hi kan tih makmawh a ni, chu chu a mantute lam kan puih theihna pawh a ni. Article 21 of Constitution of India hian – Dan kalhin mi tupawh an mimal zalenna rahbeh sak loh tur a tih avangin CrPC leh Special Act te’n a sawi dan ang nilo leh a man theilo tu leh a check theilo tuin kan lo tih ve hian thil tisualtu te chungchang thu Court-in a ngaihtuahna (trial) hi a khawih pawi ta daih thin a ni tih hriat a tha hle. Hemi chungchang hi Supreme Court pawhin chiang takin ‘State of Punjab –versus- Balbir Singh’ case, (1994) 3 SCC 299 – a report –ah a sawi nghe nghe a ni.

Mi tam takin, heng Accused-te hi Ukil-te pawhin dinsak tawhlo mai sela a ni mai alawm ti tein an sawi thin. Dan hian hei hi a phallo lehzel a ni. Mi man anih in a duhzawng Ukil rawih leh thlan theihna chu a Fundamental Rights zinga mi ni in chu chu Article 22 (1) of the Constitution of India ah kan hmu a, Section 303 CrPC -in a sawi bawk. Chutianga Ukil rawihna sum neilo leh a tira Ukil in a dinsak loh Accused-te chu Court-in Ukil dinsak tu tur a ruat anga chutiang Ukil rawih man chu State Sawrkar-in a tumsak ang tih Section 304 CrPC chuan a sawi lehzel zawk a ni. Rule 49 (1) of the Advocates Act, 1961 chuan Bar Council of India (BCI) chu Ukil-te chungchangah Dan (Rules) siam theihna power a pe a, chutiang chuan BCI hian ‘Bar Council of India Rules’ a siam ta a. Chumi Rules hnuaia Part-VI chuan Ukil-te hian chhan tha tak a awm anih loh chuan anmahni ruai duhtu te an hnar ngawt thianglo a ni tih a sawi a ni. Tin, Supreme Court pawhin ‘A.S. Mohammaed Rafi –versus- State of Tamil Nadu & Ors’ case, (2011) 1 SCC 688 –a report ah hian Ukil-te leh Bar Association-te hian Accused (thil tisuala puh) chu eng mi pawh nise, tualthat a puh emaw, pawngsualtu a puh emaw pawh nise an dinsak (defend) tur ani, a pawnga takin dinsak duhloh ngawt hi a theih loh tiin thutlukna a lo chhuah tawh bawk a ni. Chuvang chuan Ukil-te’n an dinsak loh ngawt vang hian Accused-te hi hrem an awlsam phah chuang hauhlo tih i hria ang u. Tin, kan hriat fiah loh thin chu – Ukil-te’n Accused-te an dinsak (defend) avang hian an chhuak zalen ta thin ah ngaih ngawt tur pawh ani lo, an man dan te leh Dan in a sawi ang thil dangte felfai taka tih anih phawt chuan leh thuhretu/evidence te Court hmaa tha taka phawrh anih chuan Accused-te hi Ukil-te pawhin dinsak mah sela hrem an ni tlangpui zel zawk a ni. Chuvang chuan, thil tisualtu te hi hrem an nih theih ngei nan hian a chunga kan sawi takte khi hria a kan fin thiam a tul hle mai.

India rama Court sang ber Supreme Court bawk hian ‘Union of India & Another –versus- Tulsiram Patel’ case, (1985) 3 SCC 398 – a report ah chuan ‘thuneihna’ (power) hi Dan hnuaiah a awm emaw pek anih loh chuan hman (exercise) ngawt theih a nilo, chutiang ‘power’ chuan a lo chhuahna (source) a nei tur a ni tiin a sawi. Entirnan, Police leh Excise te’n mi an man theihna ‘power’ lo chhuahna pawh CrPC leh ND&PS Act, 1985 leh Dan dangte a ni. Chutiang ang Dan hnuaia ‘thuneihna’ pek kan nih ve si loh chuan mi man ngawt theihna leh check ngawt theihna te, mi vau leh kutthlak ngawt theihna ‘power’ te hi keini mi naran/satliah hi chuan kan nei velo tih hriat a tha viau mai.

Tunlai hrileng rapthlak tak Covid-19 avangin Dan kan hriat lar lutuk lem lohte pawh kan hriat phah nual a, chung zingah chuan Disaster Management Act, 2005 leh The Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 te hi an ni. Chhiatna lo thleng thei laka invenna leh chutiang chhiatna thleng lo hmachhawn dan tur chungchanga Dan siam, Disaster Management Act, 2005 hian State Level leh District Level ah te thuneitu ‘Disaster Management Authority’ ruatin State Level ah chuan Chief Minister chu Chairperson niin District Level ah chuan Deputy Commissioner-te chu Chairperson an ni thung. Chapter-10 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 hnuaiah hian he Dan hnuaia thil tisualte/thuawihlo te hrem dan tur a sawi chu Lung In tan leh lei chawi (fine) te a ni a, kut inthlakte chu a sawi tello.

Dan hlui ve tawh tak mai ‘The Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897’ –ah hian Section 2 na hian hri hlauhawm a lo len/darh chuan State Sawrkar in dan awmsa bak piah lama mipuite zawm tur dan siam tulte a siam thei anga, mi tupawh hemi thilah hian thuneihna pek a tul anih pawhin a pe thei ang tih a sawi a. Chutiang ang dan siam belhte zawmlo chu Section 188 IPC-in hremna a sawi (a rei berah thla 6 Lung In tan emaw pawisa Rs.1000/- thleng chawi theihna) anga hrem theih an ni [Section 3 of Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897]. Tichuan, he Dan, Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 hnuaiah hian Mizoram Sawrkar pawh hian ‘The Mizoram Epidemic Diseases (COVID-19) Regulations, 2020’ chu a siam a, Mizoram Gazette ah ni 17.03.2020 khan chhuah niin hemi ni vek hian hman tan nghal a ni. Mizoram sawrkar chuan Hriattirna Memo No.D.33011/21/2019-HFW(nCov)/Pt-II dated 18.03.2020 hmangin Village/Local Task Force a din bawk a. He ‘Regulations’ –a Regulation 3 hnuaiah hian State level leh District level-a thuneitu (authorized persons) hrang hrangte tarlan a ni a, a tirah Village/Local Level Task Force-te telh ve nilo mahse he Regulations hi siamthat (amend) niin chu Amendment chu Mizoram Gazette-ah ni 25.03.2020 khan tihchhuah leh niin, Village/Local Level Task Force-te pawh ‘thuneitu’ a tih zingah telh ve an ni. He Regulation 10-na ah hian heng thuneitu a sawi bikte ‘power’ hi tarlan a niin chumi zingah chuan ‘Home Quarantine’ tih ngaiin a tih duh loh chuan tihluihna (force) hmangin an tih tir theih ang tih inziak bak hi ‘force’ han hmanna tur awm thil a awmlo, thuawih lo kut inthlak lam chu a langlo a ni. Tin, he Rugulations-a Regulation 13-na pawh hian he dan zawmlo te hremna hi Section 188 IPC ani tih a rawn tarlang leh bawk. He Regulations-a Regulation 14-na hian he Regulations anga hmalakna kawnga thuneitute thil tih chungchang ah Sawrkar emaw chung thuneitute chu Court-ah khin theih an ni lovang tih sawi mahse he Regulations sawi bak piah lama Sawrkar leh thuneitute hi an kalin an che anih chuan khin theih tho an ni.

Village/Local Level Task Force -te hian fak an phu thlawt ka ti. A sur a sa hnuaiah mahni In lum kalsan in a thente chu an rammu a, hlawh hranpa pawh neilo in hetiang hian he hripui dona kawngah hian hma an la a ni a. Tin, Sawrkar –a thuneitute pawh an hah zia kan hmu mek zel bawk. Hetih lai karah hian mi thenkhat chhuah tum talhte leh zu leh ruihhlo zawng leh zuara lo phe ve sekte pawh an awm tih a chiang reng mai. Chutiang mi te chu man loh theih lohte pawh an ni ngei ang. Tin, miin chaltlai tak leh tham lo taka min tih chuan chhanlet leh tih let mai te pawh hi mihring ze pakhat a ni ve bawk. Hetiang anih mek lai hian Dan hian tupawh min huam vek ani tih hi i theihnghilh lo hram ang u. Mipui lamte pawh hian thu kan awiha Dan kan zawm hi kan tih tur ani tih hre thar leh ta bawk ila, mimal Rights kan hriat a tul chen zet hian Dan zawm hi kan tih makmawh, kan ‘Fundamental Duty’ a ni tih i hre tel ang u. Mimal Rights leh Dan dangte pawh hre deuh chung hian Lung Inah rei tak a tan theih tho ania.

Dan lampang sawi hi chuan a ngaihnawm loh thin mai piah lamah a Section te te tarlan te leh Supreme Court thuremna te han tihlan zelte hian chhiar a tinuam lo lehzual maithei. Mahse, hetianga han tarlan deuh chat chat hian a tichiang lehzual in ka hria. Mimal Rights inzah sak tawn zelin Zoram nuam i siam ang u.

“No man is above the law and no man is below it: nor do we ask any man’s permission when we ask him to obey it”

 – Theodore Roosevelt.

(He thu ziaktu B Lalramenga hi ukil hlawhtling tak niin, Aizawl District Court bul-ah chamber neiin a awm mek.)