Most people dread going to the police station when a crime takes place. There is usually a feeling that registering a complaint is a tedious process or the police will not be cooperative. But, that shouldn’t stop anybody from taking action against a crime.

When you approach the police station, you are required to file an First Information Report (FIR) or a complaint. This document record’s the complainant’s perspective on the crime committed.

FIRs can be lodged by the person against whom the offence is committed, by the person who knows that the offence has been committed, or by the person who has seen the commissioning of an offence.

A complaint is an allegation made orally or in writing that some person (whether known or unknown) has committed an offence. A complaint is addressed to a Magistrate.

The procedure for filing an FIR is mentioned under Section 154 of Criminal Procedure Code, 1973.  Usually one needs to visit the police station to file a complaint or an FIR.

An e-FIR can be filed only for cognisable offences like murder, rape, dowry death, kidnap, etc. In these cases the police can make the arrest without the court order.

In non-cognisable offences, like assault, cheating, stalking etc., only a complaint can be filed online. It can be later escalated into an FIR by the police after seeking permission from the Magistrate. Some states allow for online submission of FIR/complaint.