10 Years After Supreme Court Mandate, Mumbai Police Stations Face Scrutiny Over Delayed FIR Uploads & Transparency Concerns

Mumbai: A decade after the Supreme Court directed states to publish First Information Reports (FIRs) online within 24 hours of registration, several Mumbai police stations are allegedly failing to follow the mandate, with records uploaded after delays ranging from 10 days to a month or not published at all.

Activists have alleged delayed or irregular uploads at Nagpada, Oshiwara, Marine Drive, Malabar Hill, Colaba, Cuffe Parade, Shivaji Park, Juhu, Aarey, Amboli, Versova and Worli police stations. They said online publication enables accused persons to seek legal remedies without waiting for physical copies and helps prevent backdating or tampering with records.

They have also alleged that FIRs concerning celebrities and politically sensitive matters are also selectively withheld or concealed on the Maharashtra Police portal. They have demanded that responsibility be fixed and departmental action initiated against officers found responsible.

The directions followed a Public Interest Litigation filed by a group of lawyers in the Bombay High Court in 2016. The petition sought online access to FIRs so that accused persons could obtain copies promptly while applying for anticipatory bail. On Sept 7, 2016, the Supreme Court ordered states to upload FIRs within the prescribed period.

Activist Kamlakar Shenoy said delayed publication undermined transparency and could prejudice the rights of affected persons. “The authorities must immediately investigate such delays, fix responsibility on the officers concerned, and ensure strict compliance,” he said.

Shenoy added that citizens could seek action under Section 166A of the Indian Penal Code or Section 199 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which deal with public servants disobeying directions under the law.

Activist Samir Zaveri said failure to meet the courtmandated deadline amounted to dereliction of duty and violated Rule 3 of the Maharashtra Civil Services (Conduct) Rules. “Such failures must trigger swift departmental action against the police officers responsible,” he said.

A police officer from the Airport police station attributed some delays to slow internet connectivity when police stations across Maharashtra upload FIRs simultaneously. The officer said the uploading of older records also burdened the system and added that police were permitted to withhold FIRs involving sensitive matters.

Former Assistant Commissioner of Police Rajendra Trivedi said the Senior Police Inspector, as head of the police station, was responsible for ensuring timely uploads, while the Crime Police Inspector also supervised the process.

“If FIRs are not uploaded or are uploaded with undue delay, it indicates a systemic failure and could also point to corruption,” Trivedi said. He added that action could be initiated under the rotational transfer policy against officers who deliberately delayed or failed to publish FIRs.

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