Legal Legal Law

How to file an e-FIR?

First Information Report is a report relating to the commission of an offense, which is lodged in a police station. Sometimes, visiting the police station might be inconvenient for the complainant due to a number of reasons. Hence, the option of filing an online FIR e-FIR is provided by a majority of the states to facilitate the easy and quick filing of FIR against the commission of offenses.

How can you file an e-FIR?

An e-FIR can be filed online by visiting the official website of the concerned police department and submitting the necessary details. A few police departments have also launched their official mobile application, which can be used to file an e-FIR.

Who is eligible to file an e-FIR?

It can be filed by the person, against whom the offense has been committed, by any person who has witnessed the commission of the offense or by any person who has knowledge of the commission of the crime.

An FIR or e-FIR can be filed only against cognizable offenses. Cognizable offenses are those offenses, which do not require an arrest warrant like murder, rape, theft etc.

What is the time limit for filing an e-FIR?

It is advised to file an e-FIR at the earliest possible after the commission of the offense. A delay in filing an FIR has to be adequately explained to the police officer as it may raise suspicion on various grounds.

What are the advantages of e-FIR?

• This saves a lot of time and energy on the part of police staffs as well as the complainants.
• It prevents the unnecessary burden of paperwork and fast registration of complaints.
• The complaint can keep a track of the status of the complaint
• Enables faster follow up and responses to the complaints.

What is the procedure for filing an e-FIR?

There is no fixed procedure for filing an e-FIR in the Code of Criminal Procedure. It varies from place to place. An e-FIR can be filed by visiting the official website of the police department of the concerned state or city. In this article, we will discuss the detailed step-by-step procedure for filing an e-FIR in different states and cities.

1. Delhi

• The first step is to visit the official website of Delhi police i.e.
  http://www.delhipolice.nic.in/
• Once you land on the home page, there is a green tab for “Citizen Services”.
• Once you click on that tab, a lot of options appear for filing an FIR or complaint. You have to select the appropriate option for which you want to lodge the FIR.
• Once you click on the appropriate option, the next step would be to register on the website by providing the name, email ID and mobile number of the complainant.
• Once the registration is complete, a whole new page will be opened where you have to fill in all the necessary details as required. Different complaints would require different details. Hence, everything has to be filled carefully.
• Carefully recheck all the details, fill in the code as required to be filled and then submit the report.
• A soft copy of the e-FIR will be received in the provided email Id of the complainant, which will serve as proof of filing an FIR.

Note: Delhi police have also launched the “Delhi Police Lost Report” mobile app for lodging of complaints relating to lost items. The complainant has to provide a few basic details of the complainant, details of the lost article/document, brief of the complaint. On submission, an acknowledgment will be generated, which will serve as a proof of submission.

2. Maharashtra

• Visit the official website of Mumbai police.
• The home page provides a simple complaint form, which needs to be filled by the complainant. The Email Id provided by the complainant will be used to get an OTP (One-time Password), which will be further used for authorization before accepting the complaint.
• The following details have to be filled in the complaint form:
  • Name of the Police station
  • Subject
  • Complaint type
  • Name&Address of the complainant
  • Phone No&Email id
  • Authorized code
• Once all the details are filled, click on the submit button to submit the complaint.
• As soon as the complaint is submitted, the Complaint Number/FIR Number will be generated, which can be used for further references.

3. Kolkata

• Go to the Official Website of Kolkata Police http://www.kolkatapolice.gov.in
• Click on the blue colored “Report a crime” tab
• The following details have to be filled in the application
  • Details about the crime
  • Name and address of the complainant
  • Police Station under whose jurisdiction the offense happened
  • E-Mail id of the complainant
  • Image code
• Once all the details are filled, hit on the send button to submit the complaint. The confirmation regarding the submission of the complaint will be received in the provided email id.

4. Tamil Nadu

• Visit the official website https://eservices.tnpolice.gov.in
• Click on the “Register online complaints” tab on the right side of the home page.
• Fill in all the required details on the complaint registration form.
• Fill in the security code and click on “register” to submit the complaint.

5. Jharkhand

• visit the official website of Jharkhand Police at https://jofs.jhpolice.gov.in/
• Click on the red colored “Complaint” tab.
• Fill all the necessary details relating to basic details of the complainant, and details regarding the occurrence of the crime.
• An OTP will be sent to the given mobile no to verify the details. Then submit the FIR accordingly.

5. Haryana

• Go to the official website of Haryana Police.
• Click on inform police tab
• Fill in all the required details as asked in the page
• Submit the complaint

6. Madhya Pradesh

• Visit the official website at https://mppolice.gov.in/en
• Click on information to police under report online tab
• Select the nature of information from the given options
• Fill in the required details and click on the submit button.

7. Bangalore

Bangalore police have launched the official website and a mobile application for filing lost reports online. Though this facility is not available for filing FIR for other cognizable offenses.

The steps are as under:

• Visit the Website: https://bcp.gov.in/ or download the mobile application E-lost app
• Login to the site/application by providing the necessary details
• Enter the following details of the lost item
  • Category of the item
  • Time and area of loss of the item
  • Brand of the item
  • Value of the item
  • Photograph of the article (if available)
  • Basic details of the complainant
• Click on the submit button to submit the same
• Step 5- Once the information is submitted, an acknowledgment of submission is sent to the provided email and mobile no.

Conclusion

The process of filing an e-FIR varies from place to place. Hence, the first step is to visit the correct official website of the concerned police department. Once you land on the home page, carefully go through the contents of the website for correct filing of an e-FIR. Once should exercise the utmost care in filing an e-FIR as an incorrect filing of an e-FIR might lead to an offense.

For more information related to e-FIR, kindly contact Enterslice.