All new FIRs in Delhi to be available online from Feb 1

All new FIRs in Delhi to be available online from Feb 1

Thu Jan 27 2011

Policemen in Delhi denying anyone a copy of First Information Reports (FIRs) will be a thing of the past.

From February one, people can download new FIRs registered in the capital from Delhi Police's official website -- www.delhipolice.nic.in. An accused can get a copy from the police station by paying Rs 25.

The move comes following a direction by the Delhi High Court on December six last year when it said that an accused is entitled to get a copy of the FIR within 24 hours of its registration and police cannot deny supplying it.

The court had said that the FIRs should be uploaded online within 24 hours of its registration though it exempted the force from making public FIRs on sensitive issues.

However, whenever it does not make FIRs public, such a decision has to be taken by an officer not below the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police and they have to inform the area magistrates.

 

"We will be uploading the FIRs from February one. The FIRs will be uploaded from police stations and software has been installed," Rajan Bhagat, Delhi Police spokesperson, said.

All the police stations have been instructed to upload all FIRs registered.

According to the official, an accused can apply for the copy of an FIR at a charge of Rs 25 for four pages and an extra Rs ten for each extra page.

"The accused can approach the police station in person or depute another person or his lawyer to collect the FIR registered against him," Bhagat said.

The FIRs on sensitive issues like terrorism, national security, rape, molestation and kidnapping for ransom will not be uploaded, he said.

The application forms for procuring the FIRs will be available at all police stations and Deputy Commissioners' office, he said.

The High Court had observed that fair and impartial investigation is the fundamental right of an accused and he or she need not move to court in order for getting a copy of FIR and it is the duty of the police to provide it.

An accused is entitled to get a copy of the FIR at an earlier stage than as prescribed under Section 207 of the CrPC which says that accused has to move the court and it would be supplied by order of Magistrate, the High Court had said.

In case if police refuse to reveal the FIR, then the person can approach the Police Commissioner, who will form a committee to decide such cases.

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