Cops deny FIR copy to complainants

NAGPUR: Senior police officials may try to present a citizen friendly image of their force but ground level reality nullify that effort. Cases have come to fore where the city police denied copy of First Information Report (FIR) to the complainant in violation of the provisions of code of criminal procedure (CrPC), 1973.
In case of kidnapping at Lakadganj police station registered eight months ago complainant could not a get a copy of FIR despite repeated visits.In another case, an officer made the complainant file an application under Right to Information Act, 2005, to get a copy of FIR from Sakkardara police station. This is in clear contravention of the provision of CrPC that mandates giving a copy 'forthwith, free of cost, to the informant'.
Section 154 of CrpC provides the guidelines for lodging FIR in cognizable cases. While the sub-section (1) of 154 CrPC lays down the manner in which the information is to be reduced to writing by the officer in charge of the police station or under his direction, the clause (2) of same provision makes it mandatory for the police station officer to furnish a copy of the complaint which someone has furnished. It has often been seen that the police either avoid following the provision or do not tell the citizens of their rights.
Sunil Thakur, a resident of Ganga Jamuna, has been running from pillar to post to get a copy of the FIR that his wife had lodged in December last year against the woman who allegedly forced her to work at a dance bar in Mumbai. An offence of kidnapping was registered at Lakadganj police station. Police are yet to furnish Thakur or his wife a copy of the FIR for reasons best known to them. On the contrary, there had been allegation against accused Bobby Khan who tried to temper the evidence but no action was taken against her.
Senior inspector Rajendra Unawane of Lakadganj police station, who joined the police station couple of months back, said that he would ensure FIR copy was made available to the complainant but was unable to explain delay.
In the other case, Chhaya Choudhari, despite being the complainant in the case, was made to file an application under RTI by an officer in order to get the FIR. Choudhari too had filed a case of kidnapping against unidentified racketeers who had taken away her sister-in-law.