A written complaint to the police, and representation before them during investigation, is often the first formal step in a criminal matter — whether the complaint is being lodged, or a complaint has already been lodged against a client.
Situations this covers
- Drafting a complaint for submission to a police station
- A complaint to a senior police officer where a station has not acted on a matter
- Representation and advice during the course of an investigation
- Private complaints before the Magistrate where appropriate
What to bring
- A clear, dated account of the events
- Any documents, messages, photographs or witnesses relevant to the matter
- Copies of any complaint or correspondence already exchanged
See also application and letter drafting, bail applications, anticipatory bail and criminal matters.
How to report an offence
- Written complaint: an information about a cognisable offence can be given orally or in writing at the police station, and a copy of the recorded information is given free of charge to the informant.
- Zero FIR: information can be recorded at any police station irrespective of where the offence took place, and then transferred.
- If the police do not register it: the informant can send the substance of the information to the Superintendent of Police, and can also apply to the Magistrate under Section 175(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.
What a complaint should contain
The date, time and place, the names or description of the persons involved, a clear sequence of events, the documents or messages that support it, and the names of witnesses. A complaint drafted in an orderly way is easier for the police and the court to act on.
Related guides
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- Police Not Registering Your FIR? Zero FIR, e-FIR and Your Remedies
- You Have Received a Police Notice. What Now?
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This page describes general procedure and does not constitute legal advice. What applies to a particular matter depends on its own facts.
This page describes general procedure and is published for information only, in keeping with Rule 36 of the Bar Council of India Rules. It is not legal advice and does not solicit work. What applies to a particular matter depends on its own facts.