Zero FIR is an important legal provision in India that permits the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) at any police station, regardless of the crime’s location, with the goal of speeding up the reporting and investigation procedure. This idea was first presented in 2013 to provide a more efficient system for dealing with criminal offenses.
Zero FIR: About
- In response to the circumstances in the Nirbhaya Rape Case, it was suggested for incorporating the concept of zero First Information Report (FIR) into the Criminal Law Amendment. Police should write First Information Reports, or “FIRs,” when they become aware of a crime that is legally sanctioned. It is a written record of information that ends up with the police at some point.
- The legal requirement for filing a First Information Report, or FIR, in the event of a cognizable offense is outlined in Section 154 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The limitation of jurisdiction, which stipulates that a complaint or FIR may only be filed in a police station with authority over the area in which the crime was committed, has been a main point of contention for many years against FIRs.
Zero FIR: How Does it Work?
According to experts in RJS Coaching institute, when an informant or victim comes to the police station, the police are required to file a Zero FIR report. After that, it can be moved to a different police station whose jurisdiction the offense was committed.
Zero FIR: Objectives
The objectives that are often discussed by the experts from various RJS Coaching institutes are as follows:
- To prevent any form of interruption or delay.
- To ensure that the inquiry is carried out correctly.
- To bind the cops so they can assume control.
- To allow the case to move forward quickly.
- As soon as the FIR is registered, timely jurisdiction is assumed.
Why Should be Women Aware of “ZERO FIR”?
The experts at RJS Coaching institute, discuss why women should be made aware of Zero FIR. The reasons are:
Executes a Quick Action
- The police are required to take preliminary action or conduct an investigation before transferring a Zero FIR case to the relevant police station. When a crime such as rape, murder, sexual assault, accident, etc. occurs, the police must respond right away.
- In other words, they have to gather samples, data from eyewitnesses, corroborative evidence, etc.
- These kinds of gatherings are only permitted following the filing of a formal complaint (FIR) since the evidence is so important and must be shielded from corruption and degradation.
No Registration can be Rejected by the Police Station
- Any police station obtaining information concerning the commission of an infraction that is cognizable is obligated by law to bring a formal complaint, according to Section 154 of the CrPC.
- A zero FIR shall be filed in any police station, regardless of the police officer’s residence or the location of the crime; however, if the crime did not take place within the said police station’s jurisdiction, the file must be transferred to the associated police station for investigation.”
- Therefore, even in cases when the offense is committed beyond the police station’s jurisdiction, no police officer may refuse to register the FIR in question.
Protective Sheild for the Victims
- The objective of the Zero FIR policy was to shield informants and victims from legal complexities and procedural abuses.
- Additionally, it guarantees that justice is not postponed or denied. The process makes it easier for things to go smoothly.
Essential Whenever Traveling
- In the unlikely scenario that a crime takes place while traveling, the victim may file a Zero FIR by contacting the closest police station along the way.
- The police station is thereafter in charge of forwarding it to the relevant police station.
Effective For Promoting Awareness
- Since Zero FIR is a relatively new concept, many police officers are ignorant of the change.
- Even individuals themselves frequently do not know that they have legal rights or that they can now file a Zero FIR at any police station in the nation.
- Once we are aware of our own rights, we can help the legal system and the general public by educating and raising awareness of these rights.
Having a separate clause ensures that the responsibility of filing a zero FIR remains binding on all relevant authorities, as opposed to an advisory that is only binding insofar as the Supreme Court of India’s precedent is concerned.
In addition to putting zero-FIR procedures into place, it’s critical to educate police personnel about them, ensure that there is no misuse of authority, and ensure that complaints are sent promptly to the appropriate police station. A thorough system must be implemented to guarantee that these elements are in the public interest.
