1. When a police
station receives a complaint regarding an alleged offence that has been
committed in the jurisdiction of another police station (irrespective of their
residence or the place of occurrence of crime), it registers an FIR and then
transfers it to the relevant police station for further investigation. This is
called a Zero FIR.
2.
No regular FIR
number is given.
3.
After receiving the
Zero FIR, the relevant police station registers a fresh FIR and starts the
investigation.
4.
Justice Verma
Committee recommendation: Zero FIR came
up after the recommendation in the report of the, which was constituted to
suggest amendments to the Criminal Law in a bid to provide for faster trial and
enhanced punishment for criminals accused of committing sexual assault against
women
5.
Objective of a Zero
FIR
○
To ensure the
victim doesn’t have to run from pillar to post to get a police complaint
registered.
○
Speedy redressal to
the victim so that timely action can be taken after the filing of the FIR.
What is a FIR?
1.
Information
recorded under Section 154 of CrPC is known as First Information Report (FIR).
2.
It is not defined
in the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1973, or in
any other law, but in police regulations or rules.
3.
SEC 154 of CrPC: A
statement in writing by a complainant or an oral note reduced to a statement by
a police officer should be read to the complainant and entered into a book in
the prescribed format of the concerned state government.
4.
Three important
elements of an FIR:
(1) the
information must relate to the commission of a cognizable offence
(2) it
should be given in writing or orally to the head of the police station and
(3) it must
be written down and signed by the informant, and its key points should be
recorded in a daily diary book.
