The person who gives the information that becomes a first information report is entitled to a copy of it free of cost, and it is normally given at once. Anyone else — an accused, or a third party — gets a copy only as a certified copy, either from the police station on a written application or from the magistrate's court once the report is on the court file. If the police refuse even the informant's copy, the remedy is a written complaint to the senior officer and, if needed, an application to the magistrate.
Before you start
Before you apply, note the details that identify the report:
- The crime number. Every FIR carries a number, recorded in the police register, along with the police station and the year. Ask for and note this number when the report is registered.
- The police station's name. The station that registered the report is the one that holds the first copy, even if the investigation is later transferred.
- The date of registration and the sections. Note the date and the penal sections named, because the copy is traced by these.
- Proof that you are the informant. If you gave the complaint, carry identity proof and be ready to show that the report came from your complaint.
- Authority to receive. If someone collects it on your behalf, a signed authorisation avoids a second trip.
Steps
- The informant asks at the station. Under Section 173 BNSS 2023 (formerly Section 154 CrPC), the informant is entitled to a free copy of the information recorded. Ask the officer in charge for it in writing and sign the station register as having received it.
- Take the free copy immediately. Do not treat it as optional. The copy is the base document for every later step — bail, insurance, compensation, or a court case — and a delay in getting it delays all of them.
- If you are the accused, apply for a certified copy. A person named as accused is not entitled to the free informant's copy. Apply in writing to the officer in charge for a certified copy, or apply to the magistrate's court for a certified copy once the report is sent to the court.
- Make the application specific. Give the crime number, the police station, the date, and the sections. State the purpose. A vague request is the quickest way to get no answer.
- Use the court route where the police stall. Once the chargesheet or the report is on the court file, the office of the magistrate is the correct custodian, and a certified copy is applied for there under the court's copy-application procedure.
- If the police refuse, complain in writing. Address a written complaint to the officer in charge first, then to the senior officer above the station, referring to the provision and to the registration date. Keep a stamped acknowledgement of the complaint.
Documents to keep
- The free or certified copy of the FIR, kept safely, with a scanned backup.
- The written application asking for the copy, and the receipt or acknowledgement of it.
- The crime number, police station, date and sections, recorded separately so you always have the identifiers to hand.
- Any postal or courier proof, if the application was sent rather than handed over.
- The complaint made if the copy was refused, and the officer's response if any.
What goes wrong
- Wrong person asking. A person other than the informant must apply formally; simply claiming to be interested is not enough to get a free copy.
- No crime number. Without the number, police stations and courts cannot trace the report efficiently, and the application is returned.
- Verbal demands. Asking only on the phone or at the counter leaves no record. Put the request in writing and keep proof of it.
- Assuming the free copy covers everyone. The free entitlement runs to the informant. An accused or a stranger must go through the certified-copy channel.
- Filing the FIR copy nowhere. Many people lose the only copy and then have to reconstruct it through the court at cost and delay.
Common questions
Is the informant's copy really free?
Yes. The provision requires that a copy of the information recorded be given to the informant free of cost. The copy is normally given at the time of registration, and the informant should ask for it then rather than later.
How does an accused get the FIR?
An accused is not the informant and so does not get the free copy. The accused applies in writing for a certified copy from the police station, or applies to the magistrate for a certified copy once the report is placed before the court.
Can a third party get a copy?
A third party who is not the informant or the accused has no automatic right to the copy. Access runs through the court, and the court decides whether the person has a genuine purpose connected to the case, such as an insurer, a claimant, or a party to a connected proceeding.
What if the police refuse to give any copy?
First put the demand in writing and keep a receipt. If the station still refuses, complain to the officer above the station, and where a legal proceeding depends on the copy, apply to the magistrate for a certified copy. A lawyer's letter often moves a stalled request.
FileX Advocates & Legal Consultants, Kolkata, files, drafts and defends criminal matters and regularly obtains FIR copies and court records for clients. Call +91 7439811422 or WhatsApp us for a free first consultation.
See our criminal law services for the process side, and the criminal law formats for the model written requests that go with an application of this kind. The wider range of matters we take up is set out under our legal services.