How do I get a copy of the FIR?

The accused is entitled to a free copy under Section 173(2) BNSS. You can obtain it from the police station, and Haryana Police and Delhi Police publish most FIRs on their websites (except sensitive-category cases). Your lawyer can also apply for a certified copy from the jurisdictional magistrate's court.

Should I go to the police station if called?

If you receive a notice under Section 35(3) BNSS (earlier 41A CrPC), attending with legal advice is generally required — non-appearance can justify arrest. But consult a lawyer before going: what you say is critical, you are entitled to have your lawyer present during questioning (at visible distance), and in appropriate cases anticipatory bail should be filed before appearing.

Kya FIR cancel ya quash ho sakti hai?

Yes. If the allegations, even taken at face value, do not disclose an offence, or the case is manifestly malafide or a civil dispute given criminal colour, the Punjab & Haryana High Court can quash the FIR under Section 528 BNSS, applying the State of Haryana v. Bhajan Lal (1992) framework. Compromise-based quashing is also common in matrimonial and commercial matters.

Criminal · BNSS 2023 · Urgent Guide

An FIR Has Been Registered Against You — The First 48 Hours

Q: FIR ho gayi hai — sabse pehle kya karein?

First, obtain a copy of the FIR — it is your right, free of cost, under Section 173(2) BNSS, and most FIRs are also published online on the state police website. Read exactly which sections are invoked, avoid discussing the case on calls or WhatsApp, preserve all evidence in your favour, and consult a criminal lawyer before making any statement to the police.

Q: Kya FIR hote hi arrest ho jaati hai?

No. For offences punishable up to 7 years, Section 35 BNSS and the Supreme Court's Arnesh Kumar guidelines (2014) require police to justify arrest and ordinarily issue a written notice of appearance first. Arrest is not automatic — but for serious offences, anticipatory bail should be considered immediately.

Last updated: 11 July 2026 · By Advocate Manish Sharma, Faridabad · General legal information, not legal advice

In short: Do these five things, in this order: (1) get the FIR copy — your free right under Section 173(2) BNSS; (2) read which sections are invoked and note the punishment bracket; (3) stop discussing the case on phone/WhatsApp and preserve every document, chat and CCTV clip in your favour; (4) do not go to the police station without legal advice; (5) if the offence is non-bailable, have an anticipatory bail application assessed the same day. Arrest is not automatic — but the first 48 hours decide how much control you keep.

Step 1 — Get the FIR copy (FIR ki copy kaise milegi)

The accused is entitled to a copy of the FIR free of cost under Section 173(2) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. In practice, there are three routes: the police station itself; the state police website — Haryana Police and Delhi Police publish most FIRs online within 24 hours (sensitive-category FIRs excluded, per the Supreme Court's directions in Youth Bar Association of India v. Union of India, 2016); and a certified copy from the jurisdictional magistrate's court through counsel. Read it fully: the sections invoked, the complainant's version, dates, and what role is attributed to you specifically.

Step 2 — Understand what the sections mean

The punishment bracket controls everything that follows. Offences punishable up to 7 years attract the arrest safeguards of Section 35 BNSS; graver offences shift the strategy toward immediate pre-arrest protection. Common post-2024 renumberings people encounter: cheating is now Section 318 BNS (earlier 420 IPC), criminal breach of trust Section 316 BNS (earlier 406), cruelty by husband or relatives Section 85 BNS (earlier 498A), and criminal intimidation Section 351 BNS (earlier 506). Offences committed before 1 July 2024 continue under the IPC.

Step 3 — Protect yourself in behaviour (galtiyan jo log pehle 48 ghante mein karte hain)

Three mistakes cause the most damage. First, calling the complainant or their family to "settle" — such calls are recorded and become evidence of pressure. Second, discussing case details on WhatsApp or social media — everything is recoverable and admissible as electronic evidence under the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023. Third, informal police-station visits without counsel — statements made there shape the investigation. Instead: preserve everything that supports your version (payments, chats, location data, CCTV), write a private timeline of events while memory is fresh, and inform your employer only if and when legally advisable.

Step 4 — The arrest question: Section 35 BNSS and Arnesh Kumar

For offences punishable up to 7 years, arrest is the exception. Section 35 BNSS (carrying forward Section 41A CrPC) requires the police to record specific reasons for arrest and ordinarily to proceed by a written notice of appearance. The Supreme Court in Arnesh Kumar v. State of Bihar (2014) made non-compliance a ground for departmental action and contempt — and it remains one of the strongest shields in matrimonial and commercial-dispute FIRs. If a Section 35(3) notice arrives: do not ignore it (non-appearance justifies arrest), but appear with strategy — you are entitled to consult your lawyer, and to have counsel present at a visible distance during questioning.

Step 5 — Anticipatory bail: when and where (Faridabad)

If the FIR involves a non-bailable offence, an anticipatory bail application under Section 482 BNSS should be assessed immediately — courts can grant interim protection on the first listing. For Faridabad FIRs, the application is filed before the Sessions Court at the District Court complex, Sector 12; on rejection, the Punjab & Haryana High Court at Chandigarh. The full process, conditions and case law are on the bail page. Where the FIR itself is legally defective — no offence disclosed, malafide prosecution, or a civil dispute dressed as crime — quashing under Section 528 BNSS before the High Court is the parallel remedy (State of Haryana v. Bhajan Lal, 1992).

What happens after the first 48 hours

Stage	What it means for you
Investigation (S.175–187 BNSS)	Statements recorded, evidence collected; cooperate through counsel; interim protection can continue
Chargesheet or closure report	Filed before the Magistrate; discharge application possible where no case is made out
Cognizance & summons	Regular bail formalities; trial preparation begins
Trial	Prosecution evidence, cross-examination, defence, judgment — at the CJM/JM or Sessions Court, Sector 12

Frequently asked questions

FIR ho gayi hai — sabse pehle kya karein?

FIR copy lo (free right, S.173(2) BNSS), sections padho, phone/WhatsApp pe case discuss karna band karo, evidence preserve karo, aur police ke saamne koi bhi bayan dene se pehle lawyer se milo.

Kya FIR hote hi arrest ho jaati hai?

Nahin. 7 saal tak ki saza wale offences mein Section 35 BNSS + Arnesh Kumar (2014) ke tahat police ko pehle notice dena hota hai aur arrest ka likhit justification chahiye. Serious offences mein anticipatory bail turant consider karo.

How do I get the FIR copy?

Police station se free copy, Haryana/Delhi Police website se online, ya magistrate court se certified copy through counsel.

Police station bulaya hai — jaana chahiye?

Section 35(3) notice ignore mat karo — lekin lawyer se strategy bana ke jao; appropriate cases mein pehle anticipatory bail file hoti hai.

Kya FIR quash ho sakti hai?

Haan — Punjab & Haryana High Court, Section 528 BNSS ke tahat, Bhajan Lal (1992) framework pe: koi offence nahi banta, malafide case, ya civil dispute ko criminal rang. Compromise-quashing bhi common hai.