Question

In Ancient India, _______ written around 310 B. C. provided a comprehensive and systematic information about crime investigation and punishment of offenders.

• A. Mahadandadhikari
• B. Arthashastra
• C. Faujdari Adalat
• D. Bhrigu-Samhita

Hint:

Kautilya's Arthashastra is often cited as the world's first comprehensive manual on intelligence, policing, and criminal law.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Concept:

• Ancient Indian history contains well-developed concepts of statecraft, policing, and penal laws.
• The Mauryan era produced one of the world's most detailed treaties on political science and administration.

Step 1: Identify the text from the 4th Century B.C.
Kautilya (also known as Chanakya), the advisor to Chandragupta Maurya, wrote the Arthashastra around 310-300 B.C. It is a monumental work on statecraft, economic policy, and military strategy.

Step 2: Analyze the criminological content of Arthashastra
The text contains detailed chapters on the maintenance of law and order, the role of spies (investigation), the suppression of "thorns" (criminals), and a rigorous penal code that prescribed various punishments based on the severity of the crime.

Step 3: Evaluate other options
(A) Mahadandadhikari: This is a title for a high-ranking judicial official, not a text. (C) Faujdari Adalat: This refers to criminal courts established during the Mughal and British periods (18th century). (D) Bhrigu-Samhita: This is an ancient astrological and predictive text.

Step 4: Conclusion
The Arthashastra is the only text from that era that matches the description of a manual for crime and punishment.