Difference between charge sheet and FIR

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Updated: 04-04-2024

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When there is large proof to aid the accusation that the accused is committed against the law, the police will ultimately prepare a fee sheet. The police only draft the price sheet following a radical investigation into the crime. Based on the proof accrued during the investigation and the type and severity of the offense, the police use the rate sheet to record charges against the accused. There are numerous names for a fee sheet, inclusive of challan, completion record, and closure document. The trial and the prosecution's prosecution of the accused no longer start till the magistrate receives the charge sheet.

Based on court cases and facts they've received approximately a criminal incident or crime, the police draft a written document known as a First Information Report (FIR). Since the FIR is only prepared for offenses that can be cognizable, there's no FIR prepared for an offense that isn't. The Code of Criminal Procedure defines a cognizable offense as an awful crime that negatively impacts the public and society. In those conditions, the police have the power to arrest without a warrant. The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, defines a cognizable offense in Section 2(c). The Rajasthan High Court ruled that a First Information Report (FIR) is "the statement of the creator of the file at a police station before a police officer recorded within the manner provided by way of the provisions of the Code" within the 1960 case of State of Rajasthan v. Shiv Singh.

Diff between FIR and Chargesheet

The first piece of information about the offense that a police officer enters into the records is the FIR. After receiving the FIR, the investigating officer collects evidence to support the case and substantiates the accusations made towards the accused. He drafts a written file called a chargesheet after the completion of the research.
The term "FIR" is not defined in the 1973 Code of Criminal Procedure. However, section 154 of the CrPC mandates that the officer in charge of the police station write down the facts a victim gives regarding any cognizable offense. This report is called an FIR. On the other hand, the chargesheet is defined within the CrPC under section 173.
The investigating officer files the chargesheet after the investigation, it is the final document. On the other hand, a formal complaint is filed for the first time, even though the police are informed that a crime that qualifies has been committed. Within this particular context, a "cognizable offense" is any criminal offense, such as rape, homicide, or kidnapping, for which an arrest warrant is not necessary. In the event of a cognizable offense, the magistrate's consent is not needed to begin an investigation.
A FIR does not prove the accused's guilt. However, a chargesheet is a record that consists of proofs and evidence. It is used to establish the accused's offenses at some stage in the trial.

Important Case Laws:

Saurav Das v. Union of India (2023), In this instance, the petitioner begged the Supreme Court to issue an order compelling the police officers to post an online charge sheet on a website or in the public domain. The charge sheet is not a substantial piece of evidence and is not available to the public, the court ruled. The Indian Supreme Court went on to say that it may be against the Criminal Procedure Code's framework to upload charnment website where they could infringe upon the rights of the victim, the accused, or even the investigating agency.
Lalita Kumari v. State of UP (2013), In this instance, the question was whether the policege sheets and other pertinent documents into the public domain or onto a state gover needed to conduct a preliminary investigation or inquiry before filing a First Information Report (FIR). The Supreme Court ruled that there is no need to conduct a preliminary investigation before filing an FIR if the information relates to the commission of a crime that is punishable by law. As a result, if a police officer knows any information regarding the commission of a crime that can be prosecuted, he is required to file a FIR. If a police officer doesn't submit an FIR, they might face consequences. A preliminary investigation can be carried out before filing a formal complaint (FIR) in cases of corruption, medical negligence, commercial offenses, and marital or family disputes.

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