The Mauryan Polity c8.s4.t4.1

c8.s4.t4.1

Punishments were of different kinds: fines, imprisonment, mutilation and death penalty.¹ It is often remarked that the Kauṭaliya does not mention the method of trial by jury but recommends torture to the suspected persons to elicit confession of guilt.² The statement is of course misleading, and is the result of a wrong interpretation of the Arthaśāstra texts. The chapter entitled vākyakarmānuyoga³ means ‘examination on evidence and action to be taken thereon.’