ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a glimpse of the contemporary criminal justice system. Socio-economic and political conditions prevailing during different phases of history influenced the evolution of the Indian criminal justice system. The Mauryan period fills a gap between two great epochs of administration of criminal justice in ancient India, namely, that as mentioned in the Dharma sutra on the one hand and that of Manu’s code on the other. The regular police consisted of three tiers of officials: the Pradesta or the Nagaraka at the top, the rural and urban Sthanikas in the middle and the rural and urban Gopas at the bottom. The King’s Court was the highest court of appeal as well as an original court in cases of vital importance to the state. The nature and types of punishments were very cruel, inhumane and barbarous. Policing of the cities and towns was entrusted to Kotwals and of the countryside to Faujdars.
