File a police complaint or e-FIR

Step by step

1. 1

   Check whether it is a cognizable or non-cognizable offence

   This decides what the police must do. A cognizable offence is one of the more serious crimes: theft, robbery, cheating, causing serious injury. For these the police must register an FIR, and they can investigate and arrest without a warrant.

   For offences punishable with 3 years or more but less than 7 years in prison, the police may first hold a short preliminary enquiry, with a senior officer's permission, to be finished within 14 days.

   A non-cognizable offence is less serious, usually where nobody is at serious risk. For these the police note the matter in a register instead of registering an FIR, and they can't investigate without a magistrate's order. If you're not sure which applies to your case, say so at the station and ask them to explain.

2. 2

   Give your information to the officer in charge

   You can report a cognizable offence in person, or electronically where the station allows it (through the Uttarakhand Police citizen portal, for the services it lists).

   If you report in person and the police write it down for you, read it over before you sign it and make sure it matches what you said.

   If you report electronically, you still need to sign it within 3 days for it to be taken on record. Keep that in mind if you report online: follow up and sign in person or as the portal directs.

   policecitizenportal.uk.gov.in ↗Not working?
3. 3

   Ask for a free copy of your FIR

   Once your FIR is registered, you're entitled to a copy of it straight away, free of cost. If someone else reported the crime, you can also get a free copy as the victim. If anyone asks you to pay for a copy, that is wrong.

4. 4

   Use Uttarakhand Police's citizen portal for specific services

   Uttarakhand Police's citizen portal lists complaint registration, a cyber crime complaint form, requesting a copy of an FIR, and verification services such as tenant or PG verification. It also has a separate e-FIR login for the offences it covers.

   The portal needs a login. Check on the portal which complaints can be filed online as an e-FIR, or ask at the station.

   policecitizenportal.uk.gov.in ↗Not working?
5. 5

   For a non-cognizable offence, ask for it to be recorded

   The police record the substance of what you report in a register and refer you to a Magistrate. They can't investigate without the Magistrate's order. The Magistrate can then order the police to investigate, after which they have the same powers as in a cognizable case, except arrest without a warrant.

Watch out

• For a cognizable offence, the police cannot turn you away because the crime happened outside their area. Ask for a zero FIR instead.
• If a station refuses to register your FIR at all, that's covered in a separate guide: what to do when police won't register your FIR.
• No one at a police station should ask you to pay for registering a complaint or for a copy of the FIR.