The law does not prescribe in which FORM First Information of Report of Crime (FIR) should be given to police.
But the police is required to write down this information in a specific Form called FIR.
When you give information of any crime to police, the complaint will look good if it contains following:
1) Who are you who is giving this information? You should give your full name address mobile number etc in complaint.
2) What has happened? If a crime has happened, details should be described.
3) When this happened? Time.
4) Where this happened? How much kilometre away from Police Station, approximately?
This will help police to decide whether he has territorial jurisdiction to investigate crime.
5) Who did what to whom? How?
Here say who did what to whom. If you know names of accused, give name. If you do not know names, say unknown persons. Try to describe them if possible.
6) Names of Accused and their address: Give details if you know.
NOW MOST IMPORTANT: Write down time of giving this information, sign it and hand it over to police
If time of giving complaint is written, a sort of timer will start on police. If police delays registering complaint or delays taking action, later, he can be pulled up by court. Superior officer as well as court can ask explanation for delay in registering FIR. This is a check.
Ask for a copy of registered FIR. Once a FIR is registered, its copy can be obtained by paying prescribed fee.
Compare, whether everything you stated has been written down in FIR. If police has missed out some important point, seek advice of lawyer for further steps.
Haresh Raichura
11/6/13