243. Recording of information under section 154, Criminal Procedure Code. [§ 12, Act V, 1861].
(a)The first information of cognizable crime mentioned in section 154, Code of Criminal Procedure, shall be drawn up by the officer-in-charge of the police-station in B.P. Form No. 27 in accordance with the instructions printed with it.(b)The First Information Report shall be written by the officer taking the information in his own handwriting and shall be signed and sealed by him.(c)The information of the commission of a cognizable crime that shall first reach the police, whether oral or written, shall be treated as the first information. It may be given by a person acquainted with the facts directly or on hearsay, but in either case it constitutes the first information required by law. upon which the enquiry under section 157, Code of Criminal Procedure, shall be taken up. When hearsay information of a crime is given, the station officer shall not wait to record, as the first information, the statement of the actual complainant or an eye-witness.(d)A vague rumour shall be distinguished from a hearsay report. It shall not be reduced to writing or signed by the informant, but entered in the general diary, and should it, on subsequent information prove well-founded, such subsequent information shall constitute the first information.(e)A telegram is not a writing given to the police signed by the person making the statement and, therefore, does not comply with section 154, Code of Criminal Procedure. If, however, in the opinion of an officer receiving a telegram reporting the occurrence of a cognizable offence, the circumstances justify action being taken, he should himself lodge at first information on the basis of the telegram. If he does not take such action, he should make an entry in the general diary.In the case of a telephone message reporting such an occurrence, the informant should be asked to come to the police-station to lodge the information, and an entry of the message should be made in the general diary. If it is considered necessary to start investigation on the basis of the message and the informant remains anonymous or cannot be found, the officer receiving the message must himself lodge the information on the basis thereof.(f)Police officers shall not defer drawing up the information report until they have tested the truth of the complaint. They shall not await the result of medical examination before recording a first information, when complaint is made of grievous hurt or other cognizable crime.(g)A constable left in charge of a station may accept a written report of a cognizable offence. He shall get the report signed by the person giving it, enter an abstract of it in the general diary and report the fact to the officer-in-charge, of the station. If the report of a cognizable offence is given, to such constable orally, he shall similarly enter the substance of it in the general diary and send the complainant or informant to the officer-in-charge of the station with a note of the case. If the report relates to the occurrence of heinous crime, he shall send immediate information to the Circle Inspector; and if the facts of the case, as may occur in dacoity, murder, etc., require the immediate apprehension of the accused, he shall take all possible steps to effect arrest.(h)First Information Reports, once recorded, shall on no account be cancelled by station officers.
