In a landmark ruling, the Kerala High Court held that police cannot deny registering a First Information Report (FIR) solely because the complaint was sent via email from abroad or lacked a physical signature.
The court emphasised that the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) 2023, particularly Section 173, gives statutory backing to the concept of Zero FIR, allowing victims to lodge complaints regardless of jurisdiction or medium.
The verdict came in response to a plea filed by a woman residing in Australia, who had emailed a complaint in 2020 against her husband to the State Police Chief. Though the SPC forwarded it to the local Muttom Police Station, officers refused to act, citing the lack of a signature and her physical absence.
The High Court ruled this rejection unjustified, stating that refusal on technical grounds violates the BNSS&rsquo;s mandate. It added that if a complaint reveals a cognisable offence, the police are duty-bound to register an FIR, even if the complainant is abroad or the complaint is unsigned.
The court allowed the petitioner to file a fresh complaint and directed the police to act upon it per the law.
[Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by the Benefit News editorial team and is published directly from the IANS news feed.]
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FIR Can Be Filed via Email from Abroad, Says Kerala High Court

Court upholds victim’s right to register Zero FIR electronically, even if unsigned or filed from overseas.

FIR Can Be Filed via Email from Abroad, Says Kerala High Court

Court upholds victim’s right to register Zero FIR electronically, even if unsigned or filed from overseas.

July 1, 2025 | 22:10 IST