Case to be registered against erring officials for denying Zero FIR in cognisable offence: Andhra DGP

Andhra Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Gautam Sawang on Tuesday said that at every police station instructions have been given to register a case if there is any report of a cognisable offence and any laxity in filing of a zero FIR will invoke departmental action.

"At every police station irrespective of the jurisdiction as to where the offence has taken place if there is any report of cognisable offence, instructions have been given that cases be registered," Sawang told ANI here.

He said if an officer does not file a 'Zero FIR' in the matter then a case would be registered against erring official for non-compliance.

"In case the FIR is not registered, the concerned officers would be liable and cases will be registered against them apart from departmental action, and not only the concerned officers but supervisory officers as well," the DGP said.

A 'Zero FIR' is a document that can be registered by any police station when a complainant approaches them for a cognisable offence, whether the case is in their jurisdiction or not.

The Andhra Pradesh DGP has directed concerned authorities that the details of the memo should be communicated to all police personnel in the state.

This comes days after a woman veterinarian was allegedly gang-raped and killed by four persons before they burnt her body in Shadnagar outskirts in Telangana's Ranga Reddy district on the intervening night of November 27 and 28.

The victim family had alleged that the Shamsabad police delayed the filing of an FIR citing jurisdictional issues in the case.

Later, three cops were suspended for dereliction of duty when the incident came to light.

Hyderabad police, had on November 29, arrested four accused involved in the Vet's rape and murder case.