Crime and Punishment in Ancient India

Contents: Preface. Abbreviations. Explanatory notes. I: Introduction. 1. Law of Crimes not Law of Torts. 2. End of Punishment. 3. Criminal liability. 4. Punishment. 5. The influence of Caste System on the Criminal Law. 6. Some aspects of the Hindu Criminal Law. 7. Detection of crimes and apprehension of criminals. 8. Torture to exhort confession. 9. Jus Talionis not Conspicuous in the Hindu Criminal Law. 10. The courts. 11. Laws in Ancient India. II: 1. Offences against the State and the King. 2. Offences against public justice. 3. Offences relating to coins. 4. Offences relating to weights and measures. 5. Public nuisance. 6. Offences relating to religion. 7. Witchcraft and sorcery. 8. Offences relating to morality and family life. 9. Offences affecting human body. 10. Offences against property. 11. Forgery. 12. Offences relating to trade regulations. 13. Criminal Breach of Contract. 14. Criminal intimidation. 15. Abuse, insult and defamation. 16. Offences relating to guilds, corporations and companies. 17. Offences relating to cattle trespass. 18. Miscellaneous offences. Bibliography. Index.

"This book deals with the crimes and punishments in Ancient India. Apart from crimes and punishments, its evolutionary process has also been discussed. Criminal laws laid down by Gautama, Vasistha, Apastamba, etc. also find place in the book.

The influence of caste system on the criminal law, apprehension of criminals, the courts, offences against the state, king, public justice, offences relating to weights and measures, religion, morality and family life are also given in the book with various other crimes, heinous and minor ones.

The book has hardly left only crime and its punishments. The subject and its detailed presentation makes this book altogether different and very interesting to read." (jacket)