FIR: HC issues contempt notice to govt, DG&IGP

The Karnataka High Court on Monday issued a contempt of court proceedings notice to the state government on failing to comply with a division bench order which said police cannot refuse to register First Information Report (FIR), citing territorial jurisdiction of police stations.

A division bench of Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice Suraj Govind Raj, hearing a civil contempt petition by advocate S Umapathy, issued notice to the additional chief secretary of the Home Department and the Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG&IGP).

The division bench of Chief Justice Abhay S Oka had passed an order on September 19, stating that “police shall not ask the territorial jurisdiction over the place of offence. Registering FIR is a must as per guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs to the state governments. The police should transfer the FIR to the police station concerned under Section 166 A of the Indian Penal Code. The notification shall be issued within a month on this matter’’.