Syllabus LC 0504 Law of Crimes

 LC 0504 Law of Crimes : 

 

Objectives of the Course : Crime and Punishment has always been the most important aspect of Rule of Law. A proper understanding of crimes, methods of controlling them and the reasons for their existence is extremely important to build a just and humane society. This course is designed with a prime object to familiarize students with the principles of criminal liability and other concepts of substantive criminal law along with relevant case laws. It is also meant to enable them to articulate informed opinion over important controversial issues in criminal law. 

 

Module 01 Nature of Crime and Criminal Liability : 

1. Historical Development of Indian Penal Code, 1860 

2. Nature of Crime, Definition of Crime in social and legal context, Distinction between Moral, Civil and Criminal wrongs, Aim and Function of the Criminal law 

3. Criminal Liability Principles - Actus non facitreum, nisi mens sit rea, Origin and development of mens rea, Liability without mens rea, mens rea in Indian Penal Code. Facets of mens rea - Motive, Knowledge, Intention, Recklessness and Negligence, Malice 

4. Elements of Crime - Human Conduct, Voluntary act, Guilty intention, Causal Connection, Prohibited Result 

 

Module 02 General Principles of Criminal Law : 

1. Nullapoena sine lege, nullumcrimen sine lege 

2. Principles of mala in se, mala prohibita, Joint liability, Vicarious liability, Strict liability and Absolute liability 

3. Stages in Commission of Crime, Intention - mere intention not punishable, 

Preparation, Attempt -Attempt when punishable, specific provisions of IPC, Tests for determining what constitute attempt, proximity, equivocality and social danger test, Impossible attempt, Commission of offence 

 

Module 03 Introduction to Substantive Criminal Law : 

1. Jurisdiction under Indian Penal Code, 1960 

2. General Explanations - Movable Property, Wrongful Loss and Wrongful gain, Dishonestly, Fraudulently, Common Intention, Common Object, Voluntarily, Good faith, Criminal Conspiracy 

Module 04 General Defenses : 

1. Excusable: (Mental Incapacity) Minority (Infancy), Involuntary Intoxication and Insanity as a Defense 

2. Justifiable: Necessity, Mistake of Fact, Acts done with Consent, Accident, Judicial acts, Triviality 

3. Right of Private Defense of Body and Property - Justifications and Limits 

Module 05 Offences against State, Public Tranquility, Administration of Justice, Etc. : 

1. Meaning of Abetment, Abetment when punishable? Liability of Abettor, Abetment of offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life 

2. Waging war, Sedition, Conspiracy to Waging war 

3. Unlawful Assembly, Rioting, Affray, Promoting enmity between different groups, Imputations/assertions prejudicial to national integration 

Module 06 Offences against Human Body : 

1. Culpable Homicide, Murder, Ingredients, Exceptions and Distinction between Culpable Homicide and Murder, when culpable homicide is murder? 

2. Attempt to commit Culpable Homicide, Attempt to Murder 

3. Causing Death by Negligence, Causing Death with the consent of the deceased – Euthanasia and its Constitutionality 

4. Suicide – abetment and attempt, its Constitutional validity 

5. Hurt, Voluntarily causing hurt, etc.; Grievous Hurt, Voluntarily causing grievous hurt, etc., Wrongful Restraint, Wrongful Confinement 

6. Criminal Force, Assault, Kidnapping and Abduction, distinction between them 

Module 07 Offences relating to Woman : 

1. Cruelty against Woman, Dowry death, Causing Miscarriage, Acid Attack 

2. Outraging Modesty of woman, Sexual Harassment, Voyeurism, Stalking 

3. Rape – its ingredients, developments in Rape law along with relevant judicial decisions, Unnatural offences 

4. Deceitful Cohabitation, Bigamy, Mock Marriages, Adultery 

Module 08 Offences against Property and Person, Etc. : 

1. Theft, Extortion, Robbery and Dacoity, distinction between them, forms of Robbery and Dacoity 

2. Criminal Misappropriation, Criminal Breach of Trust, Stolen property, Cheating, Mischief, Criminal Trespass, House Trespass, Lurking House Trespass, House Breaking, House Breaking by Night 

3. Defamation, Criminal Intimidation and Insult 

4. Forgery and Making of False document, Falsification of accounts 

 

Recommended Readings : 

1. M.C. Setelvad, Common Law in India (Chapter III, Criminal Law, p. 124-176), Stevens. 

2. Stephen, A History of Criminal Law of England, Vol. III (Last Chapter on Indian Penal Code), London, Macmillan. 

3. Principles of Criminal Law by R C Nigam, Law of Crimes in India, Vol. I, Asia Publishing House, New York. 

4. Glanville Williams, Criminal Law, Universal Law Publishing.  

5. J.W. Cecil Turner, Kenny’s Outlines of Criminal Law, Universal Law Publishing. 

6. Smith and Hogan, Criminal Law, Oxford University Press. 

7. Andrew Ashworth Principles of Criminal Law, Clarendon Law Series. 

8. S.K. Savaria, R. A. Nelson’s Indian Penal Code (4 Volumes), LexisNexis Delhi. 

9. Hari Singh Gaur, Penal Law of India (4 volumes), EBC. 

10. PSA Pillai's Criminal Law, 13th Ed. Revised by K.I. Vibhute, LexisNexis, New Delhi. 

11. J.D. Mayne, Indian Penal Code (Ed. II 1901, p.242-249). 

12. K.N. Chndranshekhar Pillai, Essay’s on Indian Penal Code, Indian Law Institute. 

13. R.C. Srivastava, Law Relating to Crime and Punishment, Manav Law House, Allahabad. 

14. K.D. Gaur, A Text Book on Indian Penal Code Universal Law Publishing. 

15. K.D. Gaur, Criminal Law Cases and Material, Buttersworth. 

16. Ratanlal and Dhirajlal, The Indian Penal Code, Wadhwa and Company, Nagpur.