‭All about a chargesheet‬

‭Introduction‬
‭ hargesheets‬ ‭play‬ ‭an‬ ‭extremely‬ ‭important‬ ‭role‬ ‭in‬ ‭the‬ ‭sphere‬ ‭of‬ ‭criminal‬‭law.‬‭They‬‭lay‬‭the‬
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‭basis‬ ‭for‬ ‭criminal‬ ‭prosecution‬ ‭by‬ ‭specifying‬ ‭the‬ ‭charges‬ ‭and‬ ‭allegations‬ ‭against‬ ‭an‬
‭individual.‬‭It‬‭represents‬‭the‬‭end‬‭of‬‭an‬‭extensive‬‭investigation,‬‭witness‬‭interviews,‬‭and‬‭careful‬
‭evidence‬ ‭collection.‬ ‭The‬ ‭chargesheet‬ ‭is‬ ‭a‬ ‭report‬ ‭produced‬ ‭by‬ ‭the‬ ‭police‬ ‭after‬ ‭the‬
‭investigation‬‭is‬‭complete.‬‭The‬‭Code‬‭of‬‭Criminal‬‭Procedure‬‭(1973)‬‭,‬‭defines‬‭this‬‭police‬‭report‬
‭in‬‭Section‬‭2(r)‬‭as‬‭that‬‭report‬‭that‬‭is‬‭forwarded‬‭by‬‭the‬‭police‬‭to‬‭the‬‭Magistrate‬‭under‬‭Section‬
‭173(2)‬‭.‬ ‭A‬ ‭chargesheet‬ ‭provides‬ ‭a‬ ‭comprehensive‬ ‭overview‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭case‬ ‭in‬ ‭question‬ ‭and‬
‭encourages‬ ‭transparency‬ ‭and‬ ‭accountability‬ ‭in‬ ‭the‬ ‭justice‬ ‭system.‬‭It‬‭essentially‬‭guides‬‭the‬
‭legal process and determines the result of a case.‬

‭Through‬ ‭this‬ ‭article,‬ ‭we‬ ‭will‬ ‭take‬ ‭a‬ ‭look‬ ‭at‬ ‭chargesheets‬ ‭in‬ ‭India‬ ‭by‬ ‭focusing‬ ‭on‬ ‭their‬
s‭ ignificance, components, and the various laws governing them.‬

‭What is a chargesheet‬
‭ nder‬‭Section‬‭173‬‭of‬‭the‬‭Code‬‭of‬‭Criminal‬‭Procedure‬‭(CrPC‬‭for‬‭short),‬‭a‬‭final‬‭report‬‭can‬‭be‬
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‭of‬ ‭two‬ ‭kinds,‬ ‭(i)‬ ‭a‬ ‭closure‬ ‭report‬ ‭and‬ ‭(ii)‬ ‭a‬ ‭chargesheet.‬ ‭A‬ ‭chargesheet,‬ ‭also‬ ‭known‬ ‭as‬ ‭a‬
‭completion‬‭report,‬‭is‬‭a‬‭formal‬‭police‬‭report‬‭generated‬‭once‬‭the‬‭investigation‬‭of‬‭a‬‭case‬‭ends.‬
‭This‬ ‭report‬ ‭includes‬ ‭thorough‬ ‭and‬ ‭extensive‬ ‭records‬ ‭of‬ ‭every‬ ‭step‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭inquiry,‬ ‭from‬‭the‬
‭time‬ ‭it‬ ‭begins‬ ‭by‬ ‭lodging‬ ‭a‬ ‭First‬ ‭Information‬ ‭Report‬ ‭(FIR)‬ ‭until‬ ‭it‬ ‭is‬ ‭complete.‬ ‭It‬ ‭is‬ ‭a‬ ‭final‬
‭report‬‭that‬‭is‬‭submitted‬‭to‬‭prove‬‭that‬‭a‬‭crime‬‭has‬‭been‬‭committed‬‭so‬‭that‬‭the‬‭perpetrator‬‭can‬
‭be‬‭held‬‭accountable‬‭by‬‭the‬‭justice‬‭system.‬‭The‬‭report‬‭proves‬‭that‬‭the‬‭accused‬‭committed‬‭or‬
‭is‬ ‭connected‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭crime‬ ‭or‬‭offense‬‭in‬‭question.‬‭After‬‭the‬‭chargesheet‬‭is‬‭submitted‬‭by‬‭the‬
‭police officer to the court, the criminal proceedings begin.‬

‭ or‬‭cases‬‭tried‬‭by‬‭lower‬‭courts‬‭(or‬‭where‬‭the‬‭punishment‬‭for‬‭the‬‭offense‬‭is‬‭imprisonment‬‭of‬
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‭less‬‭than‬‭10‬‭years),‬‭the‬‭chargesheet‬‭must‬‭be‬‭filed‬‭within‬‭sixty‬‭days‬‭from‬‭the‬‭date‬‭when‬‭the‬
‭accused‬ ‭was‬ ‭arrested‬ ‭and‬ ‭within‬ ‭ninety‬ ‭days‬ ‭for‬ ‭cases‬ ‭tried‬ ‭by‬ ‭the‬ ‭Court‬ ‭of‬‭Sessions‬‭(or‬
‭where‬‭the‬‭punishment‬‭for‬‭an‬‭offense‬‭is‬‭imprisonment‬‭more‬‭than‬‭10‬‭years,‬‭life‬‭imprisonment,‬
‭or‬‭death‬‭penalty).‬‭In‬‭case‬‭of‬‭failure‬‭to‬‭file‬‭the‬‭chargesheet‬‭within‬‭the‬‭specified‬‭time‬‭limit,‬‭the‬
‭arrest‬ ‭is‬‭considered‬‭to‬‭be‬‭illegal‬‭and‬‭the‬‭accused‬‭possesses‬‭the‬‭right‬‭to‬‭default‬‭bail.‬‭In‬‭the‬
‭case‬ ‭of‬ ‭K.‬ ‭Veeraswami‬ ‭v.‬ ‭Union‬ ‭of‬ ‭India‬ ‭and‬ ‭Others‬ ‭(1991)‬‭,‬ ‭the‬ ‭Supreme‬ ‭Court‬‭held‬‭that‬
‭under‬‭Section 173(2)‬‭of the CrPC, the chargesheet‬‭is the final report of the police.‬

‭Components of a chargesheet‬
‭ ection‬ ‭173(2)(i)‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭CrPC‬ ‭states‬ ‭that‬ ‭the‬ ‭chargesheet‬ ‭must‬ ‭be‬ ‭submitted‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬
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‭magistrate‬ ‭immediately‬ ‭after‬ ‭the‬ ‭investigation‬ ‭is‬ ‭complete.‬ ‭It‬ ‭is‬ ‭also‬ ‭known‬ ‭as‬ ‭a‬ ‭four-part‬
‭charging‬ ‭document.‬ ‭It‬ ‭states‬ ‭that‬ ‭it‬ ‭must‬ ‭be‬ ‭in‬ ‭the‬‭form‬‭specified‬‭by‬‭the‬‭state‬‭government‬
‭and include certain specifics mentioned below.‬

‭a)‬ ‭Names of the parties involved;‬

 ‭b)‬ ‭Type of information and accusations;‬

‭c)‬ ‭Names of all those individuals familiar with the circumstances of the case;‬

‭d)‬ ‭If there is any indication of an offense being committed and, if so, by whom;‬

‭e)‬ ‭If the accused has been arrested or detained;‬

‭f)‬ I‭n‬ ‭case‬ ‭the‬ ‭said‬ ‭accused‬ ‭has‬ ‭been‬ ‭released‬ ‭on‬ ‭bond‬ ‭and,‬ ‭if‬ ‭so,‬ ‭with‬ ‭or‬ ‭without‬
‭sureties;‬

‭g)‬ ‭If the accused has been forwarded in custody, as per‬‭Section 170‬‭of the CrPC.‬

‭Why is a chargesheet important‬

I‭n‬ ‭the‬ ‭Indian‬ ‭legal‬ ‭system,‬ ‭a‬ ‭chargesheet‬ ‭is‬ ‭an‬ ‭essential‬ ‭element‬ ‭for‬ ‭initiating‬ ‭an‬ ‭inquiry‬
‭against‬‭the‬‭accused‬‭party‬‭and‬‭collecting‬‭the‬‭necessary‬‭information‬‭to‬‭present‬‭the‬‭complete‬
‭investigation‬‭process‬‭in‬‭court.‬‭It‬‭is‬‭the‬‭first‬‭step‬‭to‬‭start‬‭a‬‭criminal‬‭case‬‭against‬‭an‬‭individual‬
‭in‬‭court‬‭and‬‭includes‬‭the‬‭details‬‭of‬‭the‬‭incident,‬‭the‬‭statements‬‭of‬‭the‬‭accused‬‭and‬‭witnesses‬
‭involved,‬ ‭as‬ ‭well‬‭as‬‭the‬‭charges‬‭brought‬‭against‬‭them‬‭under‬‭the‬‭Indian‬‭Penal‬‭Code‬‭or‬‭any‬
‭other relevant laws.‬

‭ he‬ ‭chargesheet‬ ‭notifies‬‭the‬‭person‬‭of‬‭the‬‭criminal‬‭charges‬‭against‬‭them,‬‭i.e.,‬‭it‬‭is‬‭through‬

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‭the‬ ‭chargesheet‬ ‭that‬ ‭the‬ ‭accused‬ ‭is‬ ‭made‬ ‭aware‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭charges‬ ‭brought‬ ‭against‬ ‭him.‬ ‭No‬
‭criminal‬‭proceeding‬‭can‬‭take‬‭place‬‭without‬‭a‬‭chargesheet.‬‭Once‬‭the‬‭chargesheet‬‭is‬‭filed,‬‭the‬
‭person‬‭it‬‭is‬‭filed‬‭against‬‭is‬‭known‬‭as‬‭the‬‭accused,‬‭and‬‭the‬‭criminal‬‭proceeding‬‭is‬‭considered‬
‭to‬ ‭have‬ ‭started.‬ ‭The‬ ‭accused‬ ‭must‬‭be‬‭present‬‭during‬‭the‬‭trial,‬‭irrespective‬‭of‬‭whether‬‭they‬
‭are guilty or not guilty.‬

‭ he‬ ‭procedure‬ ‭which‬ ‭leads‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭filing‬ ‭of‬ ‭a‬

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‭chargesheet‬
‭ hen‬ ‭a‬ ‭crime‬ ‭is‬ ‭reported‬ ‭by‬ ‭filling‬ ‭an‬ ‭FIR‬ ‭(First‬ ‭Information‬ ‭Report),‬ ‭the‬ ‭police‬ ‭officer‬ ‭in‬
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‭charge‬‭forwards‬‭the‬‭report‬‭to‬‭the‬‭Magistrate,‬‭who‬‭looks‬‭into‬‭the‬‭report‬‭as‬‭soon‬‭as‬‭possible‬
‭and‬‭begins‬‭with‬‭the‬‭investigation.‬‭This‬‭FIR‬‭informs‬‭the‬‭Magistrate‬‭about‬‭the‬‭offense‬‭and‬‭sets‬
‭in‬ ‭motion‬ ‭the‬ ‭criminal‬ ‭law‬ ‭process.‬ ‭It‬ ‭is‬ ‭essentially‬ ‭a‬ ‭report‬ ‭on‬ ‭the‬ ‭commission‬ ‭of‬ ‭a‬
‭cognizable‬‭offense.‬‭Cognizable‬‭offenses‬‭are‬‭those‬‭wrongs‬‭that,‬‭in‬‭essence,‬‭are‬‭serious‬‭and‬
‭terrible.‬ ‭For‬ ‭these‬ ‭types‬‭of‬‭offenses,‬‭police‬‭officers‬‭are‬‭allowed‬‭to‬‭arrest‬‭the‬‭wrongdoers‬‭in‬
‭the absence of a warrant or prior approval from the courts.‬

‭ he‬ ‭police‬ ‭continue‬ ‭to‬ ‭investigate‬‭the‬‭incident‬‭and‬‭the‬‭situation.‬‭The‬‭magistrate‬‭may‬‭issue‬

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‭instructions‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭police‬ ‭regarding‬ ‭the‬ ‭case‬ ‭if‬ ‭necessary.‬ ‭They‬ ‭may‬ ‭find‬ ‭and‬ ‭arrest‬ ‭the‬
‭alleged‬ ‭perpetrator.‬‭Once‬‭their‬‭investigation‬‭is‬‭complete,‬‭if‬‭the‬‭police‬‭find‬‭sufficient‬‭proof‬‭to‬
‭initiate‬ ‭a‬ ‭criminal‬ ‭case,‬ ‭they‬ ‭are‬ ‭required‬ ‭by‬ ‭law‬ ‭to‬ ‭file‬ ‭and‬ ‭submit‬ ‭a‬ ‭report‬ ‭on‬ ‭the‬ ‭entire‬
‭inspection‬ ‭and‬ ‭interrogation‬ ‭process.‬ ‭Such‬ ‭a‬ ‭report‬ ‭is‬ ‭known‬ ‭as‬ ‭a‬ ‭chargesheet‬ ‭and‬ ‭is‬
‭submitted‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭Magistrate‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭appropriate‬ ‭court.‬ ‭However,‬ ‭if‬ ‭there‬ ‭is‬ ‭no‬ ‭evidence‬ ‭to‬
‭prove‬ ‭that‬ ‭a‬ ‭crime‬ ‭has‬ ‭been‬ ‭committed,‬ ‭a‬ ‭closure‬ ‭report‬ ‭is‬ ‭submitted‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭magistrate,‬
‭which recommends the case be closed.‬
 I‭t‬‭is‬‭only‬‭once‬‭the‬‭chargesheet‬‭has‬‭been‬‭submitted‬‭that‬‭the‬‭trial‬‭of‬‭the‬‭case‬‭can‬‭begin.‬‭There‬
‭is‬ ‭no‬ ‭prescribed‬ ‭time‬ ‭period‬ ‭under‬ ‭the‬ ‭law‬ ‭within‬ ‭which‬ ‭the‬ ‭police‬ ‭officer‬ ‭must‬ ‭file‬ ‭the‬
‭chargesheet.‬‭In‬‭fact,‬‭even‬‭the‬‭Magistrate‬‭cannot‬‭direct‬‭the‬‭officer‬‭to‬‭send‬‭the‬‭report‬‭within‬‭a‬
‭certain‬‭timeframe.‬‭The‬‭CrPC‬‭only‬‭mentions‬‭a‬‭time‬‭period‬‭when‬‭the‬‭accused‬‭is‬‭arrested‬‭and‬
‭imprisoned‬ ‭in‬ ‭jail‬ ‭(‬‭Section‬ ‭167(2)(a)‬‭).‬ ‭Additionally,‬ ‭the‬ ‭Magistrate‬ ‭cannot‬ ‭acknowledge‬ ‭the‬
‭offence‬ ‭until‬ ‭the‬ ‭chargesheet‬ ‭has‬ ‭been‬ ‭filed.‬ ‭After‬ ‭the‬ ‭chargesheet‬ ‭is‬ ‭submitted,‬ ‭the‬
‭Magistrate‬‭is‬‭empowered‬‭by‬‭law‬‭to‬‭study‬‭and‬‭inspect‬‭it‬‭with‬‭a‬‭reasonable‬‭and‬‭qualified‬‭mind.‬
‭They‬‭are‬‭not‬‭restricted‬‭by‬‭the‬‭conclusion‬‭of‬‭the‬‭police‬‭report‬‭and‬‭may‬‭accept‬‭or‬‭reject‬‭it.‬‭The‬
‭Magistrate‬ ‭may‬ ‭even‬ ‭differ‬ ‭from‬ ‭the‬ ‭police‬‭or‬‭even‬‭ask‬‭them‬‭to‬‭additionally‬‭investigate‬‭the‬
‭matter if they aren’t satisfied with the chargesheet.‬

‭Recent judgments regarding chargesheets in India‬

‭Saurav Das v. Union of India (2023)‬
I‭n‬‭the‬‭case‬‭of‬‭Saurav‬‭Das‬‭v.‬‭UOI‬‭(2023)‬‭,‬‭the‬‭Supreme‬‭Court‬‭ruled‬‭that‬‭chargesheets‬‭are‬‭not‬
‭‘public‬‭documents’‬‭under‬‭Section‬‭74‬‭and‬‭Section‬‭76‬‭of‬‭the‬‭Indian‬‭Evidence‬‭Act‬‭(1872)‬‭,‬‭and‬
‭cannot‬ ‭be‬ ‭made‬ ‭accessible‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭public.‬ ‭The‬ ‭Court‬‭said‬‭that‬‭allowing‬‭their‬‭free‬‭access‬‭to‬
‭the‬ ‭people‬ ‭would‬ ‭go‬ ‭against‬ ‭the‬ ‭provisions‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭Code‬ ‭of‬‭Criminal‬‭Procedure‬‭as‬‭it‬‭would‬
‭infringe‬ ‭upon‬ ‭the‬ ‭rights‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭victim,‬ ‭the‬ ‭accused,‬ ‭and‬ ‭the‬ ‭investigating‬ ‭bodies.‬ ‭It‬ ‭also‬
‭rejected‬ ‭the‬ ‭petitioner's‬ ‭argument,‬ ‭which‬ ‭referred‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭Supreme‬ ‭Court's‬ ‭2016‬ ‭judgment,‬
‭Youth‬ ‭Bar‬ ‭Association‬ ‭v.‬ ‭Union‬ ‭of‬ ‭India‬ ‭(2016)‬‭,‬ ‭where‬ ‭the‬ ‭Court‬ ‭ordered‬ ‭all‬ ‭the‬ ‭police‬
‭stations‬‭to‬‭publish‬‭the‬‭FIRs‬‭online‬‭within‬‭24‬‭hours,‬‭with‬‭an‬‭exception‬‭to‬‭cases‬‭with‬‭sensitive‬
‭subject‬ ‭matter.‬ ‭The‬ ‭court‬ ‭said‬ ‭that‬ ‭the‬ ‭aforementioned‬ ‭judgment‬ ‭was‬‭for‬‭FIRs‬‭and‬‭did‬‭not‬
‭extend to chargesheets.‬

‭Ritu Chhabaria v. Union of India (2023)‬

I‭n‬ ‭the‬ ‭case‬ ‭of‬ ‭Ritu‬ ‭Chhabaria‬ ‭v.‬ ‭UOI‬ ‭(2023)‬‭,‬ ‭the‬ ‭Supreme‬ ‭Court‬ ‭held‬ ‭that‬ ‭a‬ ‭chargesheet‬
‭could‬ ‭not‬ ‭be‬ ‭filed‬ ‭before‬ ‭the‬ ‭completion‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭investigation‬ ‭process‬ ‭for‬ ‭the‬ ‭purpose‬ ‭of‬
‭depriving‬ ‭the‬‭accused‬‭of‬‭his‬‭right‬‭to‬‭bail‬‭.‬‭Further,‬‭the‬‭Court‬‭stated‬‭that‬‭such‬‭a‬‭chargesheet‬
‭filed‬ ‭prematurely,‬ ‭i.e.,‬ ‭before‬ ‭the‬ ‭completion‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭investigation,‬ ‭does‬ ‭not‬ ‭erase‬ ‭an‬
‭individual's right to default bail under Section 167(2) of the CrPC.‬

‭Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)‬

‭What happens after a chargesheet is filed/ the process after?‬
‭After the chargesheet is filed before the Magistrate, he has the following options:‬

‭●‬ a‭ ccept‬ ‭the‬ ‭final‬ ‭report‬ ‭(chargesheet),‬ ‭thereby‬ ‭taking‬ ‭cognizance‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭matter‬ ‭and‬
‭initiating the trial process; or‬

‭●‬ ‭reject the chargesheet and drop the case; or‬

‭●‬ ‭issue an order for further investigation under Section 156(3) of the CrPC.‬
 ‭ an‬ ‭evidence‬ ‭be‬ ‭added‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭investigation‬ ‭after‬ ‭the‬
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‭chargesheet is filed?‬
‭ es,‬‭the‬‭Madras‬‭High‬‭Court‬‭in‬‭the‬‭case‬‭of‬‭J.‬‭Jayalalitha‬‭v.‬‭State‬‭(2002)‬‭,‬‭ruled‬‭that‬‭evidence‬
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‭could‬‭be‬‭added‬‭to‬‭the‬‭investigation‬‭after‬‭the‬‭chargesheet‬‭is‬‭filed‬‭before‬‭the‬‭Magistrate.‬‭The‬
‭court‬ ‭was‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭opinion‬ ‭that‬ ‭if‬ ‭new‬ ‭evidence‬ ‭was‬ ‭discovered‬ ‭that‬ ‭called‬ ‭for‬ ‭further‬
‭investigation,‬‭disallowing‬‭the‬‭same‬‭would‬‭be‬‭a‬‭miscarriage‬‭of‬‭justice.‬‭Therefore,‬‭it‬‭was‬‭held‬
‭that‬ ‭the‬ ‭police‬ ‭station,‬ ‭upon‬ ‭receiving‬ ‭further‬ ‭proof,‬ ‭would‬ ‭submit‬ ‭reports‬ ‭on‬ ‭the‬ ‭new‬
‭evidence‬ ‭obtained‬ ‭before‬ ‭the‬ ‭Magistrate.‬ ‭However,‬ ‭it‬ ‭is‬ ‭important‬ ‭to‬ ‭note‬ ‭that‬‭only‬‭further‬
‭investigation is allowed and not re-investigation.‬

‭What is a closure report?‬

I‭n‬ ‭cases‬ ‭where‬ ‭the‬ ‭investigation‬ ‭officer‬ ‭does‬ ‭not‬ ‭find‬ ‭enough‬ ‭evidence‬ ‭to‬ ‭prove‬ ‭that‬ ‭the‬
‭accused‬ ‭is‬ ‭guilty,‬ ‭throughout‬ ‭the‬ ‭course‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭investigation‬ ‭he‬ ‭files‬ ‭a‬ ‭closure‬ ‭report‬
‭(mentioned‬ ‭under‬ ‭Section‬ ‭169‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭CrPC)‬ ‭instead‬ ‭of‬ ‭a‬ ‭chargesheet.‬ ‭This‬ ‭report‬ ‭is‬
‭submitted‬‭to‬‭the‬‭Magistrate‬‭and‬‭states‬‭that‬‭there‬‭isn't‬‭enough‬‭proof‬‭to‬‭show‬‭that‬‭the‬‭accused‬
‭has‬‭committed‬‭the‬‭said‬‭cognizable‬‭offense.‬‭The‬‭Magistrate‬‭has‬‭the‬‭power‬‭to‬‭either‬‭accept‬‭or‬
‭reject‬‭the‬‭closure‬‭report‬‭and‬‭take‬‭cognizance‬‭of‬‭the‬‭case‬‭himself,‬‭or‬‭he‬‭could‬‭even‬‭order‬‭for‬
‭a‬‭further‬‭investigation‬‭to‬‭be‬‭carried‬‭out.‬‭He‬‭also‬‭issues‬‭a‬‭notice‬‭to‬‭the‬‭complainant,‬‭who,‬‭as‬
‭the first informant, can challenge the report.‬