Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure
General Principles of Criminal Law
The Penal Code, 1860 and the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (as amended) are central. Know the elements of an offence: actus reus and mens rea, and the maxim that a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Study the general exceptions in Chapter IV of the Penal Code, including mistake of fact, infancy, insanity (the M'Naghten rule), intoxication, consent, private defence, necessity and compulsion.
Specific Offences
Revise culpable homicide and murder (Sections 299-304), hurt and grievous hurt, theft, extortion, robbery, dacoity, criminal breach of trust, cheating, mischief, forgery, defamation, and offences against the State and public tranquillity. Know the distinction between culpable homicide and murder, and between theft and extortion.
Criminal Procedure
Understand the classes of criminal courts, the powers of police to investigate (FIR, investigation, charge sheet), arrest and bail, summons and warrants, framing of charge, trial procedure (warrant and summons cases), and appeal and revision. Know the rights of an arrested person, the role of the Magistrate, and the difference between cognizable and non-cognizable offences, and bailable and non-bailable offences.
Traps
Questions often confuse culpable homicide with murder, or test whether an offence is cognizable and whether bail is a right or a discretion. Another trap is the treatment of a confessional statement before police (inadmissible) versus before a Magistrate (admissible with safeguards).
Rule of Thumb
For any offence, identify the section, the mens rea, the actus reus and the general exception, if any. For procedure, classify the offence first (cognizable/non-cognizable, bailable/non-bailable) because that classification determines police powers and bail.