Definition
Police conclusion report.
Report stating whether offence is made out or not.
Statutory Definition
BNSS 2023.
Etymology & Origin
Termed 'final' because it concludes the police investigation under Chapter XII of the Criminal Procedure Code (now Chapter XIII of BNSS).
Full Legal Analysis
In criminal law, a Final Report is the concluding document submitted by the police to a Magistrate under Section 193 of the BNSS (formerly 173 CrPC) after completing an investigation. Technically, a 'charge sheet' is a type of final report (where evidence is found), but the term is colloquially used to denote a 'closure report'.
If the police conclude that no offence has been committed, that the dispute is civil in nature, or that there is insufficient evidence to prosecute the accused, they file a 'closure report' requesting the Magistrate to drop the proceedings.
When a closure report is filed, the Magistrate is not bound to accept it. The Magistrate must issue a notice to the informant (the person who filed the FIR) giving them an opportunity to object to the police findings by filing a 'Protest Petition'.
A landmark judgment making it mandatory for the Magistrate to provide notice and an opportunity to be heard to the original informant before accepting a police closure report.
Advocates representing victims whose cases the police want to close must draft a strong Protest Petition to convince the Magistrate to reject the final report and order further investigation or take cognizance directly.
This Term in Indian Statutes
Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, 2023
"Release of accused when evidence deficient."
The procedural basis for police concluding an investigation without seeking prosecution.
