FIRs registered in Tamil Nadu are now available online

CHENNAI: Anyone can now access first information reports (FIRs) which have been registered in all the police stations and special police units in Tamil Nadu since November 15 as they have been made available online.
There are 1,910 police units (like CB-CID) and 1,438 police stations in the state which have powers to register FIRs and file them in courts. Any individual can access these FIRs, except sensitive cases like sexual abuse, terrorism and child abuse.
A senior police officer said, “The case registered by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC), CBI, NCB and NIA will not appear on the website. Also cases slapped against juveniles, kidnap for ransom cases and some cases where the victim’s identity has to be concealed will not be available online.”
One needs to sign up on the Tamil Nadu police website (http://www.tnpolice.gov.in/CCTNSNICSDC/Index?) to access the FIRs. The person has to enter the one-time password received in the registered mobile number to search and access the police stations.
FIRs are being made online as directed by the Supreme Court. The court directed that FIRs should be uploaded within 24 hours.
“All FIRs from across the state are being uploaded on the website from November 15. Every day, around 2,000 FIRs are registered in Tamil Nadu, which are uploaded on the CCTNS (Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems),” said a police officer.
Most FIRs are uploaded within 24 hours as directed by the Supreme Court. However, it is not happening in the case of some police stations which don’t have good net connectivity. In such cases, the deadline has been extended to 48-72 hours.
Madras high court advocate T K R Sudha said, “It is a welcome move. If a complaint is registered in Coimbatore against a Chennai-based man and police summon him for an inquiry, he can check the FIR online to see the charges against him and carry the relevant documents to produce.”