Tripura HC Orders Government To Formulate Advisory To Supply FIR Copy Free Of Cost

29th May 2022

Abhijit Nath, NET Correspondent, Tripura

Agartala, May 29, 2022: The High Court of Tripura has ordered the state government to hold a high level meeting with all police officials and issue advisory to ensure that complainants are supplied copies while registering a first information report (FIR).

The single bench judge, Justice Subhasish Talapatra was hearing a writ petition filed against the Tripura’s Madhupur Police Station Officer-In-Charge under Sepahijala district for not registering FIR after receiving a complaint.

The petitioner has stated that he has a rubber plantation spreading over a tract of land measuring about 7 kanis. The ‘deadly’ accused persons demanded a sum of Rs 5,00,000 from the petitioner and threatened that unless the money is paid they will not allow the petitioner to enter into his own rubber plantation. The petitioner was severely assaulted on 1st March by them and as a result he was taken to the Bishalgarh Sub-Divisional Hospital.

The High Court observed that the complainant filed by the petitioner has disclosed commission of cognizable offence but the Officer-in-charge of the Madhupur Police Station played deviant role and did not register FIR in the earliest.

According to the petitioner, the police failed to discharge their duties and to book the accused person on the teeth of time. At the time of filing the writ petition, the petitioner did not have any knowledge that a specific case had been registered after 5-6 days.

Senior advocate Purushottam Roy Barman said that the verdict of the Supreme Court in Lalita Kumari Vs. Government of Uttar Pradesh and Ors. reported in (2014) 2 SCC 1 clearly said that the police has to register a complaint and give a copy free of cost.

“The court has directed the secretary, home department to hold a high level meeting and to formulate the advisory in terms of the directions contained in para 120.1, 120.2,120.3, 120.4, 120.5, 120.6. 120.7 and 120.8 of Lalita Kumari (supra).

“Such advisory shall be sent to all police stations for observing the same in letter and spirit. The officers-in-charge of the police station shall be directed to supply a copy of the FIR, free of cost and forthwith,” the High Court said.