FIRST INFORMATION

REPORT
PROJECT

MADE BY:
PRITHVI YADAV
A11911115068
B.A.L.L.B(H) 2015-2020
SECTION – E
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude

and deep regards to my guide Mrs. SREEDURGA for her
exemplary guidance, monitoring and constant
encouragement throughout the course of this thesis. The
blessing, help and guidance given by her time to time
shall carry me a long way in the journey of life on which I
am about to embark.
WHAT IS AN FIR?
A First Information Report (FIR) is a written document prepared by police organizations in
India when they receive about the commission of a cognizable offence. It is generally a
complaint lodged with the police by the victim of a cognizable offense or by someone on his or
her behalf, but anyone can make such a report either orally or in writing to the police.
For a non-cognizable offense, a Community Service Register is created and registered.
Fir has not been defined in the Cr.P.C . In fact, it is the information relating to the
commission of a cognizable offence that reaches the officer in charge of the Police station
first in point of time.
Fir is a very valuable document. It is of utmost legal importance, both
f o r m t h e p o i n t o f v i e w o f t h e prosecution and the defence. Fir constitutes the foundation
of the case in the first instance and whole of the case is built on it. If the foundation is
week, then the prosecution case will tumble down. If on the other hand, is strong it
will endure the attacks of the accused and his counsel. In receipt of such information the SHO of
the Police station is legally required to draw up a regular Fir in from prescribed by the state
government.
IMPORTANCE OF FIR
FIR is an important document because it sets the process of criminal justice in motion. It is only
after the FIR is registered in the police station that the police can take up investigation of the
case. Anyone who knows about the commission of a cognizable offence, including police
officers, can file an FIR.
As described in law,
1) When information about the commission of a cognizable offence is given orally,
the police must write it down.
2) The person giving information or making a complaint has a right to demand that
the information recorded by the police be read to him or her.
3) Once the information has been recorded by the police, it must be signed by
the person giving the information.

RELEVENT SECTIONS IN C.R.P.C

Section 154: Information in cognizable cases (Bare Act)
First Information Report-
First information report is not defined in the Code. It may be defined as follows:
(1) It is an information which is given to the police officer;
(2) information must relate to a cognizable offence;
(3) It is an information first in point of time;
(4) It is on the basis of this information that investigation into the offence commences.
Object of FIR: -
The principal object of the first information report from the point of view of the informant is to
set the criminal law in motion and from the point of view of the investigating authorities is to
obtain information about the alleged criminal activity to be able to take suitable steps to trace and
bring to book the guilty. The F.I.R, in a criminal case is extremely vital and valuable piece of
evidence for the purpose of corroborating the oral evidence adduced at the trial. Sec. 154 has a
three-fold
object,
namely:
(1) To inform the Magistrate and
the District S.P. who are responsible for the peace
and safety of the district, of the offences reported at the police station;
(2) To make known to the judicial officers before whom the case is ultimately tried, what are the
facts given out immediately after the occurrence and on what materials the investigation
commenced;
(3) To safeguard the accused against subsequent variations or additions;

EVIDENTIORY VALUE OF AN FIR

The statements made to the police are if three categories
a) A statement which has been recorded as an First Information Report ( herein after referred to
as FIR)
b) statement recorded by the police in the course of investigation
c)a statement recorded by the police but not falling under the above (a) and (b) category.
None of the above statements can be considered as substantive evidence, that is to say, as
evidence of facts stated therein. *because it is not made during trial, it is not given on oath, nor is
it tested by cross examination. If the person making any such statement to the police
subsequently appears and gives evidence in court at the time of trial, his former statement could,
however be used to corroborate or to contradict his testimony according to the provisions of the
-evidence Act, 1872.
Section 157 of the Evidence Act is as follows:
“In order to corroborate the testimony of a witness, any former statement made by such a witness
relating to the same fact, at or about the time when the offence took place, or before any
authority legally competent to investigate the fact may be proved”.
Further, "section 145 of the -evidence Act provides
“A witness may be cross-examined as to previous statements made by him in writing or reduced
into writing, and relevant to matters in question, without such writing being shown to him, or
being proved but if it is intended to contradict him by the writing, his attention must, before
writing can be proved, be called to those parts of it which are to be used for the purpose of
contradicting him”.
The FIR is not substantive evidence, but it can be used to corroborate the informant under
section 157 of the evidence Act, or to contradict him under Section 145 of the Act, if the
informant is called as a witness at the time of trial. 'obviously, the FIR cannot be used for the
purposes of corroborating or contradicting any witness other than the one lodging the FIR.

Format of the F.I.R.

Book No. ___________

FORM NO. 24.5 (1)

FIRST INFORMATION REPORT

First Information of a Cognizable Crime Reported under Section 154, Criminal Penal Code

Police Station .................................... District .............................. No ..................

Date and hour of Occurrence .....................

1.Date and hour when reported

2.Name and residence of informer and complainant.

3.Brief description of offence (with section) and of property carried off, if any.

4.Place of occurrence and distance and direction from the Police Station.

5.Name & Address of the Criminal.

6.Steps taken regarding investigation explanation of delay in regarding information.

7.Date and Time of despatch from Police Station.

Signature .......................

Designation ................................

(First information to be recorded below)

NOTE:- The signature of seal or thumb impression of the informer should be at the end of the
information and the signature of the Writer of (FIR) should be existed as usual.

The above is the format and below is the law on the basis of which the cognizable crime is
recorded

F.I.R. ON AUTHENTIC INFORMATION

The information given to the Police Officer for registration of a case must be authentic. It should
not be gossip but should be traced to an individual who should be responsible for imparting
information. It may be hearsay but the person in possession of hearsay should mention the source
of information and take responsibility for it. An irresponsible rumour should not result in
registration of F.I.R.