Zero FIR & e-Zero FIR

Current Context : The Ministry of Home Affairs launched the e-Zero FIR initiative—piloted in Delhi—to automatically convert financial cybercrime complaints over ₹10 lakh into FIRs when reported via the 1930 helpline or National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP)

About Zero FIR

• Definition: A Zero FIR may be registered at any police station, regardless of where the crime occurred.
• Origin: Recommended by the Justice Verma Committee (2013) after the Nirbhaya case to eliminate jurisdictional delays.
• Process:
  • Complainant approaches any police station.
  • The station registers a Zero FIR and sends a copy to the jurisdictional station.

About the e-Zero FIR Initiative

• Objective: Streamline registration of financial cybercrime complaints above ₹10 lakh, eliminating delays in FIR creation and enhancing recovery prospects.
• Legal Basis: Enabled under Sections 173(1) and 1(ii) of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023.
• Mechanism:
  1. Complaint filed via 1930 helpline or National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP).
  2. Automatic Zero FIR generated at the e-Crime Police Station, Delhi.
  3. Auto-routing of the Zero FIR to the appropriate local cybercrime station.
  4. Complainant converts the Zero FIR to a regular FIR within 3 days.