What Is Zero Fir?

Zero FIR was inserted in the criminal law amendment by Justice Verma’s Committee after the incident of Nirbhya’s Rape Case.

As per Section 154 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, whenever an informant comes to the police station for registration of his complaint, the information is to be converted into writing by the Police Station Incharge and keep the record of the said information. An FIR is registered when the said information discloses commissioning of a cognizable offence (cognizable offences are offences which are serious in nature like rape, murder, robbery, theft, grievous hurt etc.).

Most of the times, the police officers of a particular police station are reluctant to register an FIR on the ground of their jurisdiction by stating that the offence has been committed outside the jurisdiction of their police station and the informant/ victim is directed to report the offence/incident of crime with other police station having jurisdiction over the area wherein, the crime is committed. This often puts the informant/victim to unnecessary hardship and due to said delay in reporting the crime, the evidence of the offence gets destroyed resulting in denial of justice.

After criminal law amendment, the police officers of the police station receiving any information as to the commission of an offence, irrespective of their jurisdiction, are bound to register the FIR as “Zero FIR” and transfer the said FIR to the concerned police station without any delay, within whose jurisdiction the crime is committed. This results in speedy investigation and minimizing scope of destruction/tampering with the evidence and at the same time, Zero FIR fulfills the objective of minimizing hardship to the informant/victim to report the incident of crime.

The above information is to impart awareness and no part of this should be construed as providing legal advice for any purpose.

Vikram Kumar

Advocate

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www.nyayoptions.com