What is First Information Report

First Information Report

First Information is basically the information related to the commission of any cognizable offence which is recorded by the police officer on duty, given either by the aggrieved person or any other person about the commission of the offence. First information Report has not been defined anywhere in the Cr.P.C. FIR is lodged to make a complaint to the Police to set the criminal law in motion and is to obtain early information of an alleged criminal activity. On the basis of the F.I.R. the police commence its investigation. FIR is the basic document which built the foundation of a case. On receipt of information the police officer on duty of the Police Station is legally required to draw up a regular F.I.R. in from prescribed by the State Government vide Sec. 154 Cr.P.C. The following are the essential ingredients of the FIR:

• It must be information relating to the commission of a cognizable offence.
• It must be give to an officer —in —charge of a Police Station.
• It must be reduced to writing, if given orally.
• It should be appended by the signature of the informer (Refusal to sing the report is punishable u/s 180 IPC).
• It should be read over to the informer.
• The gist of the information should be entered in the Station General Diary.
• A copy should be given forthwith free of cost to the informer

Who can lodge a FIR

FIR can be filed by the following persons:

• By the Complainant
• Aggrieved person
• By any person who is aware of the offence (a) as an eye witness and (b) as an hearsay account

Where to lodge FIR:

An F.I.R. can be lodged in the police station of the concerned area in whose jurisdiction the offence has been committed. FIR is always to be written by an officer in charge of a Police Station. According to sec. 36 of Cr.P.C. Police officers superior in rank to officer incharge of a Police Station may exercise the same powers through the local area to which they are appointed, as may be exercised by SHO with in the limit of his Police Station.

Investigation by Police

On the basis of FIR the police starts investigation.Sec.156, of Cr.P.C  1973  states that an  officer  incharge  of  Police  Station  is  empowered  to  investigate  any cognizable offences which occurs within his jurisdiction. Section 157 of Cr.P.C., 1973 empowered the officer in charge of police station to depute a subordinate officer not being below such rank as the state Govt. may by general or special orders prescribed in this behalf to proceed to the place and to investigate the factors and circumstances of cases and, if necessary, to take measures fro the discovery and arrest of the offender.

Punishment for false information:

Section 177 of the IPC contains penal provision for the persons providing false information. This section says that “Whoever, being legally bound to furnish information on any subject to any public servant, as such, furnishes, as true, information on the subject which he knows of has reason to believe to be false, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both”.