Police complaint to the SHO: format, the BNS sections, what to attach
How to write a police complaint to the SHO, with a sample: the facts in order, the BNS offences they disclose, what to attach, and how to get it acknowledged at the station.
- ✓There is no fixed form. A good complaint tells what happened in order — what, when, where, who — names the witnesses and evidence, and asks the SHO to register an FIR and investigate.
- ✓Naming the offence under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) helps, but the facts matter more. The police decide the final sections.
- ✓Take two copies. Get one stamped or signed as received. If an FIR is registered, you are entitled to a free copy (Section 173(2), BNSS).
What this complaint is
A police complaint is a letter to the officer in charge of a police station — usually the SHO (Station House Officer) — telling them that an offence has been committed and asking them to act.
Under Section 173 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS), information about a cognizable offence — one where the police can arrest without a warrant — must be written down and signed by the person giving it, and that person gets a free copy. That record is the FIR (First Information Report). For a non-cognizable offence, the police enter the substance in a register and refer you to the magistrate (Section 174).
A written complaint makes sure your account is recorded the way you gave it. If the station refuses to act, it is also your proof that you went. For what to do then, see Police won't register your complaint.
What the complaint must say
- Who you are: name, age, address, phone number.
- What happened, in order: each event with its date, time and place. Write it the way you would tell it, but keep to facts.
- Who did it: names, addresses, phone numbers, vehicle numbers — or a description if you do not know them.
- What you lost or suffered: money, property (with its value and description), injuries.
- Witnesses: who saw or knows what happened, and how to reach them.
- Evidence you have: photos, messages, bank records, receipts, medical papers, CCTV locations.
- The offences the facts disclose, if you know them.
- What you ask for: that an FIR be registered and the matter investigated.
- Date and signature.
The BNS sections people most often need
The offences are in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), which replaced the Indian Penal Code. Some common ones:
| What happened | Offence | BNS section |
|---|---|---|
| Someone took your property without consent | Theft | 303 |
| You were deceived into handing over money or property | Cheating | 318 |
| Someone entrusted with your money or property misused it | Criminal breach of trust | 316 |
| You were threatened with harm to you, your reputation or property | Criminal intimidation | 351 |
| You were hurt on purpose | Voluntarily causing hurt | 115 |
| Your property was damaged on purpose | Mischief | 324 |
| Someone entered your property to threaten, insult or annoy you | Criminal trespass | 329 |
Each section has sub-sections that set the punishment, and some cover more serious forms of the offence with higher punishments. Whether a particular offence is cognizable is set out in the First Schedule of the BNSS. If you are unsure, describe the facts and leave the sections to the police.
A sample complaint
This sample shows the shape. Replace everything in square brackets, and keep only what is true.
To,
The Station House Officer,
[Name of police station],
[District, State]Date: [date]
Subject: Complaint of [cheating / theft / threats] and request to register an FIR
Sir / Madam,
I, [your full name], aged [age], resident of [address], phone [number], make this complaint.
On [date], at about [time], at [place], [describe what happened, in order. For example: "[name of accused], resident of [address], took Rs. [amount] from me by bank transfer, saying he would deliver [item] by [date]. He has not delivered it, does not answer my calls, and has blocked my number."]
[Continue with each later event, with its date.]
[Name and phone of each witness] saw / know of these events.
I attach copies of: [the bank transfer record, the messages, photographs, the medical certificate].
These facts disclose offences under [Section 318 (cheating)] of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 [and any other offence the facts show].
I request you to register an FIR, investigate the matter, and give me a copy of the FIR free of cost as provided in Section 173(2) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.
Yours faithfully,
[Signature]
[Your full name]Enclosures: [list]
What to attach
Attach copies, never originals:
- Identity proof.
- Bank statements or transfer records, for money lost.
- Screenshots of messages, emails or call logs, with dates visible.
- Photographs of injuries or damage.
- A medical certificate or hospital papers, if you were hurt.
- Bills or receipts showing what was lost and its value.
Number them and list them at the end of the complaint.
How to file it
Take two copies to the station. Give one to the SHO or the duty officer and ask them to stamp or sign your copy as received, with the date. If an FIR is registered, note the FIR number and ask for your free copy. If the station will not accept it, note the date, time and officer's name, and follow the steps in Police won't register your complaint.
Mistakes that sink the complaint
- Leaving out dates and places. Vague complaints are easy to put aside.
- Exaggerating or guessing. Knowingly giving the police false information is an offence (Section 217, BNS), and it undermines everything else.
- Handing over originals without a receipt.
- No acknowledgement. Without a stamped copy, there is no proof you went.
- Waiting too long. Write it down while the details are fresh.
eMunshi's police complaint to the SHO is drafted from your answers, with the facts in order, the BNS offences they disclose, and what to do at the station: ₹299, with a free preview before you pay.
Questions people ask
Is there an official format for a police complaint?
No. Section 173 of the BNSS lets you give the information orally, in writing or electronically. A written complaint in the shape shown here is simply the clearest way to make sure everything is recorded.
Do I need to know the exact BNS section?
No. The facts are what matter. Naming the offence you believe was committed helps the officer, but if you are unsure, describe what happened clearly and leave the sections to the police.
Should I attach original documents?
No. Attach copies and keep the originals safe. The police will ask for originals, or seize them against a receipt, if they need them for the investigation.
Can I send the complaint by email?
Information can be given by electronic communication under Section 173(1), but it is taken on record only once you sign it within three days. Many states have online complaint portals; they vary by state. Go to the station to sign, and take a printed copy.
What if the station will not accept it?
Note the date, time and the officer's name, then send the substance of the complaint in writing, by post, to the Superintendent of Police of the district (Section 173(4), BNSS). See the guide on what to do when the police won't register your complaint.
Can someone else file the complaint for me?
Anyone who knows the facts can give information about a cognizable offence. If you are the victim, it is usually best that you sign it yourself, since you will be asked to give a statement.
Police won't register your complaintGuidePolice complaint to SHO — ₹299DocumentUpdated 27 October 2026 · Awaiting review by a panel advocate · General information, not legal advice for your specific matter.