What to do in the first 48 hours after an FIR is registered

Registration of a First Information Report sets a statutory process in motion, and the options open to a person named in it narrow quickly. The purpose of this note is to describe the sequence, not to advise on any particular case.

The first step is to obtain a certified copy of the FIR. It is a public document in most cases and can be applied for at the police station or downloaded from the state police portal. Until the allegations are read in their exact terms, no useful assessment is possible.

Where arrest is apprehended, an application for anticipatory bail may be made to the Sessions Court or the High Court. Once an arrest has taken place, the remedy shifts to a regular bail application, and the considerations before the court change. This is the reason timing matters more here than in most areas of practice.

A person called for questioning is entitled to legal advice before making a statement. Statements made without it frequently become the most difficult part of the record to explain later.

This note is general information and is not legal advice. The appropriate course in any matter depends on its own facts and requires independent advice.