The Bombay High Court on Thursday said it was the duty of the police to register a First Information Report (FIR) if a cognizable offence was brought to its notice.
The remark was made by a division bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Sharmila Deshmukh while hearing a petition challenging the circular issued by the former Mumbai police commissioner that stipulated seeking approval of the deputy commissioner of police (DCP) before registering FIRs under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and in cases of outraging modesty of women.
The bench was informed by the petitioner’s advocate Arjun Kadam that the circular was withdrawn on July 12 by the new police commissioner.
Kadam said the motive to challenge the circular was that a police station had refused to register an offence for aggravated sexual assault against his client and her child.Due to the police’s refusal, the victim was constrained to approach the Special POCSO Act Court in Mumbai seeking registration of FIR, he said.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/maharashtra-news-live-updates-covid-cases-mumbai-rains-eknath-shinde-shiv-sena-uddhav-thackeray-july-21-2022/liveblog/93017040.cms
