Zero FIR is a type of First Information Report (FIR) that can be filed at any police station, regardless of the location or jurisdiction where the crime occurred. It is called “zero” FIR because it is registered with the serial number ‘0’, and later transferred to the appropriate police station having jurisdiction over the place of the crime.
Key Features of Zero FIR:
- Jurisdiction-neutral: Can be filed at any police station, even if the crime didn’t happen in that area.
- Helps victims: Especially useful in urgent or sensitive cases like rape, murder, or accidents where delaying registration might cause injustice.
- Transferred later: After registration, the zero FIR is sent to the police station with jurisdiction for further investigation.
- Legal basis: Though not explicitly mentioned in the Indian Penal Code or CrPC, the Justice Verma Committee Report (2013) recommended this concept, and the Supreme Court and Ministry of Home Affairs have endorsed it.
Example:
If a person from Delhi is a victim of a crime that happened in Mumbai, they can go to a police station in Delhi and file a Zero FIR. The Delhi police must register it and then forward it to the Mumbai police station for further action.
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