Right to File an FIR
Police cannot refuse to register an FIR for cognizable offenses.
🗣️ What this means for you
If you are a victim of a serious (cognizable) crime like theft, assault, or murder, the police are legally bound to register your First Information Report (FIR). They cannot turn you away citing jurisdiction or other reasons. If they do, you have specific remedies available.
Step-by-Step Action Plan
Step 1: Go to the nearest police station and narrate the incident. You can give a written complaint or speak orally (which they must write down).
Step 2: Read the written complaint carefully before signing it.
Step 3: Demand a free copy of the FIR immediately. It is your right.
Step 4: If the officer refuses, send the complaint in writing by post to the Superintendent of Police (SP) or Commissioner of Police (CP).
Step 5: If the SP also fails to act, you can file a private complaint before a Magistrate under Section 175(3) of BNSS.
⚖️ The Relevant Law
Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) (2023)
Section 173
"Information in cognizable cases. Every information relating to the commission of a cognizable offence, if given orally to an officer in charge of a police station, shall be reduced to writing by him or under his direction."
⚠️ Punishment / Penalty
Police officers refusing to register FIRs for certain serious offenses against women can be prosecuted under BNS 2023 and face imprisonment.
Required Documents
- 📄Written complaint detailing the incident (Date, Time, Location, What happened)
- 📄Any evidence (photos, videos, medical reports)
- 📄ID proof (optional but helpful)