Commentary on the Indian Penal Code

The Indian Penal Code by Professor K.D. Gaur is a marvelous classic work in the fields of criminal law of outstanding merit. Unlike the traditional treatise in criminal law, the unique feature of the book is that it explores the untouched arena in criminal jurisprodence dealing with nature and concept of crime and the scope of punishment under the Indian Penal Code. The latest innovations through judicial and administrative techniques of creativity have been well projected in the book wherein the judiciary has played an innovative and pivotal role in evolving new concept of criminal jurisprudence. The author briefly outlines the fundamentals of crime and criminal law, principles of criminal liability, mens rea, vicarious and strict liability and discusses elaborately almost every type of punishable offences including offences against human body. Crime against women, bride-burning and dowry related offences, suicide, torture and sexual offences, rape, custodial rape, custodial violence, unnatural offences and sexual harassment at work place etc., in detail. The question of desirability of death sentence for a rapist has been critically examined and evaluated in the Indian context. Capital punishment, methods of executions, the movement towards worldwide abolition of death sentence, etc., that has finally resulted in the abolition of capital punishment from the statue book of 120 countries has been elaborately discussed. The finding of the Law Commission of India (2003) on the mode of execution indicating 51 per cent, and as high 69 per cent, of the Times of India SMS respondents` preference for public handing is startling. This reveals public disgust and apathy in criminal judicial system.