Criminal Law
Private Complaint (Criminal)
A criminal complaint filed directly before a magistrate by a private individual, rather than through a police-registered FIR.
For certain offences, particularly non-cognizable ones, or where a person wants to bypass a reluctant police station, they can approach the magistrate directly with a private complaint, which the magistrate can examine and, if satisfied, take cognizance of.
The magistrate may examine the complainant and witnesses under oath before deciding whether to proceed, issue process to the accused, or dismiss the complaint.
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