FIR Not Encyclopedia Which Must Disclose All Facts: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court said high courts must appreciate that speedy investigation is the requirement in the criminal administration of justice.

A first information report (FIR) is not an "Encyclopedia" which must disclose all the facts and details relating to the offence reported and courts should not go into the merits of the allegations when investigation by the police is in progress, the Supreme Court said on Tuesday. While observing that police must be permitted to complete the probe, the court said that high courts must appreciate that speedy investigation is the requirement in the criminal administration of justice and they should be slow in interfering with the criminal proceedings at the initial stage. A bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud noted that it has come across several orders passed by high courts directing not to arrest the accused during the investigation or till the charge sheet is filed. "The first information report is not an Encyclopedia which must disclose all facts and details relating to the offence reported. Therefore, when the investigation by the police is in progress, the court should not go into the merits of the allegations in the FIR. Police must be permitted to complete the investigation," said the bench, also comprising Justices M R Shah and Sanjiv Khanna.