FIR (First Information Report)
The written record a police station prepares on receiving information about the commission of a cognizable offence, marking the formal start of a criminal investigation.
An FIR is registered under the criminal procedure law whenever information about a cognizable offence (one the police can investigate without a magistrate's prior permission) is given at a police station, whether by the victim, a witness, or anyone with knowledge of the incident. The police are generally obligated to record it and hand the informant a free copy.
Once registered, the FIR sets the investigation in motion — evidence collection, statements, and eventually a charge sheet if the police find enough material to proceed. If a police station refuses to register an FIR for a cognizable offence, the complainant can approach a senior police officer or the jurisdictional magistrate.