First Information Report

FIR Full Form in English, letter by letter

FIR is the written record police make on receiving information about a cognizable offence, and it sets a criminal case in motion in India.

FIR Full Form in Indian Languages

FIR stands for First Information Report, the document that starts most criminal cases in India. The name is shown below in six Indian languages.

What an FIR is and what it is not

The FIR full form is First Information Report. It is the written record police make when they receive information about a cognizable offence: a serious offence for which police can arrest without a warrant and investigate without waiting for a magistrate's order. Murder, rape, robbery, kidnapping and theft are cognizable. Many offences such as defamation or simple hurt are non-cognizable, and for those police record the complaint in a separate register and need the magistrate's permission to investigate.

An FIR is not proof of guilt. It only records what the informant said at that time. It starts the investigation, which may lead to arrest and a charge sheet, and a court decides guilt only after a trial. The FIR can be used to test the informant's later statements, but it is not substantive evidence by itself.

Section 154 CrPC is now Section 173 BNSS

Until June 2024, FIRs were registered under Section 154 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. From 1 July 2024 the CrPC was replaced by the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, and the matching provision is Section 173. Older books, court orders and news reports still say 154, so read both numbers as the same idea.

Under the new law police must record the information, read it back to the informant, take the informant's signature and give a free copy on the spot. The BNSS also gives statutory form to the Zero FIR, which can be registered at any police station irrespective of where the offence happened, and to electronic reporting.

How to file an FIR, step by step

Go to the police station in whose area the incident took place, or to the officer in charge. You may speak or write, in any language you are comfortable with. The record carries the date and time, your name and address, what happened, where and when, and the accused if known. Stick to facts you can vouch for and name any witnesses.

Check the written text before you sign it. Ask for your free copy and note the FIR number, the sections applied and the name of the investigating officer. If you cannot read the language of the record, ask for it to be read out and explained.

For offences punishable with three to seven years' imprisonment, the BNSS lets the officer hold a preliminary enquiry within 14 days with the approval of a senior officer, but this is not meant to be a way of delaying registration of a clearly cognizable offence.

If the police refuse to register your FIR

Refusal is a known problem and the law gives remedies. You can send the substance of the information in writing, by post or electronic means, to the Superintendent of Police, who can order an investigation or take it up personally. If that fails, you can apply to the magistrate, who can direct the police to register a case and investigate. Earlier this power came from Section 156(3) of the CrPC, and it now sits in Section 175(3) of the BNSS.

The Supreme Court held in Lalita Kumari v. Government of Uttar Pradesh (2013) that registration is mandatory when the information discloses a cognizable offence. Police can hold a short preliminary enquiry only in limited categories, such as matrimonial or commercial disputes and medical negligence. A police officer who refuses without lawful reason can face action under the law.

Zero FIR and e-FIR in practice

A Zero FIR removes the excuse that the offence happened in someone else's area. If you are robbed while visiting a relative in another district, the nearest station must register the complaint and send it to the correct station with the case. The idea was strongly recommended after the 2012 Delhi gang-rape case.

Electronic information is accepted too. If the information is given by electronic communication, the informant must sign it within three days for the police to take it on record. The e-FIR is useful for lost property and minor thefts. For serious crimes, go to the station.

What happens after registration

The investigating officer records witness statements, visits the spot, collects evidence and arrests where required. When the investigation ends, a police report (charge sheet) or a closure report goes to the magistrate. For offences punishable with death, life imprisonment or at least ten years, the accused is entitled to default bail if the charge sheet is not filed in 90 days of arrest. For other offences the period is 60 days.

A High Court can quash an FIR when no offence is made out on its face, or in some matters when the parties settle, but it uses this power sparingly. Keep your FIR number safely: you will need it for the investigating officer, the court, insurance claims and any copy requests.

A cognizable offence must be registered. If you are the informant, be accurate, check what is written before signing, and keep your copy. The FIR number is the reference for every step that comes after.

FIR Full Form: Common Questions