Which statement best differentiates an FIR from a complaint?

Which statement best differentiates an FIR from a complaint?

• A. FIR records information about a cognizable offense for police investigation; a complaint is a magistrate-recorded allegation that may lead to inquiry or charge.
• B. FIR is a private document; complaint is public.
• C. FIR requires magistrate approval; complaint does not.
• D. FIR is only for non-cognizable offenses; complaint is for cognizable offenses.

Answer: (C)

The key difference is who records the information and what action follows. An FIR is a police document created when information about a cognizable offense is received, and it starts a police investigation without needing prior permission from a magistrate. A complaint, by contrast, is a magistrate-recorded allegation filed by a person in court, which may lead to an inquiry or to charges being framed by the court. So the best differentiator is that an FIR is a police-initiated record for a cognizable offense, while a complaint is a court-initiated document that may start judicial inquiry. The other statements don’t fit because an FIR is not a private/public document per se, it does not require magistrate approval to register, and FIRs concern cognizable offenses (not exclusively non-cognizable), while complaints can initiate proceedings and can cover different types of offenses.

The key difference is who records the information and what action follows. An FIR is a police document created when information about a cognizable offense is received, and it starts a police investigation without needing prior permission from a magistrate. A complaint, by contrast, is a magistrate-recorded allegation filed by a person in court, which may lead to an inquiry or to charges being framed by the court. So the best differentiator is that an FIR is a police-initiated record for a cognizable offense, while a complaint is a court-initiated document that may start judicial inquiry. The other statements don’t fit because an FIR is not a private/public document per se, it does not require magistrate approval to register, and FIRs concern cognizable offenses (not exclusively non-cognizable), while complaints can initiate proceedings and can cover different types of offenses.