Supreme Court Clarifies Preliminary Inquiry Under BNSS in FIR Registration

Case Title: Imran Pratapgadhi v. State of Gujarat. Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (SC) 362 | Criminal Appeal No. 1545/2025

Background:

The case arose from an FIR registered against Congress Rajya Sabha MP Imran Pratapgadhi for sharing a video clip featuring a poem on Instagram. The Supreme Court quashed the FIR and elaborated on the differences between the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in relation to the registration of FIRs and preliminary inquiries.

Key Legal Issue:

Whether a preliminary inquiry can be conducted before registering an FIR when the information discloses a cognizable offence.

CrPC vs. BNSS: Major Difference

• Section 154 of CrPC:

  • Mandates registration of FIR if information discloses a cognizable offence.

  • No provision for conducting a preliminary inquiry.

• Section 173(1) of BNSS:

  • Mirrors Section 154 CrPC.

  • Requires FIR registration if a cognizable offence is disclosed.

• Section 173(3) of BNSS:

  • Significant departure from CrPC.

  • Allows police to conduct a preliminary inquiry (with permission from a superior officer) if the offence is punishable with 3 to 7 years of imprisonment.

  • Purpose: To ascertain whether a prima facie case exists, especially to avoid registration of FIRs in frivolous cases.

    
    

    Supreme Court's Ruling:

    • Preliminary inquiry is permissible under BNSS only in the limited category of offences specified in Section 173(3).

    • If, after inquiry, a prima facie case is found → FIR must be registered.

    • If no case is made out → Informant must be informed and can seek remedy under Section 173(4) by approaching the Superintendent of Police.

    • Reading or hearing allegedly offensive words to decide if they constitute a cognizable offence does not amount to a preliminary inquiry under Section 173(1).

      
      

  Constitutional Safeguard:

  
  

  The Court emphasized that this discretion under Section 173(3) is essential to protect individuals from wrongful prosecution, especially for acts related to freedom of speech under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution.