FIR Registration and Zero FIR: How It Works: An Illustrative Scenario in Bengaluru

To make the general position concrete, here is an illustrative, hypothetical situation (not a real case) that raises this question.

The illustrative scenario

The question

This raises an obvious question:

How the general rule applies

Under BNSS s.173, information about a cognizable offence can be given to police irrespective of the area where the offence was committed — this is what is commonly called a Zero FIR.

Information can be given orally or electronically. Where it is given electronically, it is treated as on record only once the informant signs it, which must happen within 3 days.

For offences under BNS ss.64-71, 74-79, or 124, the information must be recorded by a woman police officer.

Yes. Under BNSS s.173, information about a cognizable offence can be recorded irrespective of where it occurred, and the station must then transfer it to the one with jurisdiction.

What often gets missed in situations like this

• Waiting to approach the 'right' police station before reporting — a Zero FIR means you do not have to.
• Not signing an electronically filed complaint within the window, which can affect when it is treated as registered.
• Assuming a Zero FIR is a lesser or informal complaint — it carries the same legal weight once transferred to the appropriate station.

Where this scenario is set (Bengaluru)

• The High Court with jurisdiction is the Karnataka High Court.
• Matters at the district level are generally handled at the Bengaluru City Civil & Sessions Court, or the Court of Small Causes for rent matters.
• The relevant police authority is the Bengaluru City Police.

As noted above, this scenario is a constructed illustration used to explain the general rule — it does not describe a real client, case, or outcome.

For the general rules, see FIR Registration and Zero FIR: How It Works, Grounds of Arrest: What the Law Requires Police to Tell You, and What to Do If Police Refuse to Register Your FIR.

Where this applies to a live matter, it is usually worth discussing it in a consultation before acting.

The content above explains how the law generally works; it is not legal advice and should not be treated as a substitute for advice on your particular facts.