Police Complaint With No Action? Use RTI to Get the Action-Taken Report on Record
If you filed a written complaint at a police station and nothing visible has happened, an RTI for the action-taken report (ATR) forces the police to state on record what was done, by whom, and why no further action was taken. That record is also the foundation for escalating to the SP/Commissioner or a magistrate.
Why this usually gets stuck
- Complaints acknowledged but never converted to an FIR or NC
- Enquiries "in progress" indefinitely with no officer accountable
- Complaints transferred between stations or to special units without intimation
- Closure without informing the complainant
What an RTI gets you, on record
- The action-taken report on your complaint, on record
- The officer to whom it is assigned and the current stage
- Whether it was converted to an FIR/NC, transferred, or closed - with recorded reasons
- Copies of correspondence made on your complaint
Where to file it
Address the RTI to the PIO of the district police / Police Commissionerate the station reports to, naming the station and complaint inside the application - see our police-station RTI guide for how the routing works. File via your state RTI portal or by post.
Sample RTI questions (edit the bracketed details)
Keep questions factual and specific to your own matter. Ask for records, status, dates, reasons and officer details - not opinions. Do not include anyone else's personal information.
Copy-paste RTI application
Fill the bracketed details and send to the PIO of the office named. Attach the RTI fee prescribed for that authority (Rs. 10 in many cases; BPL applicants attach BPL proof instead of fee). Do not include anyone else's personal information.
To, The Public Information Officer, Office of the Superintendent of Police / Commissioner of Police, [District / City] (name the concerned Police Station in the application) Subject: Request for information under the Right to Information Act, 2005 Sir/Madam, Under Section 6 of the Right to Information Act, 2005, I request the following information regarding my complaint: 1. The action-taken report on my written complaint dated ________ (acknowledgement / DD no. ________) filed at ________ Police Station, including its present status and the officer to whom it is assigned. 2. Whether the said complaint was registered as an FIR or NC; if not, the reasons recorded for not registering it. 3. Whether the complaint was transferred to another station or unit, or closed, with the recorded reasons and dates. 4. Certified copies of the correspondence and case-diary entries made on my complaint, to the extent permissible under the Act. 5. The prescribed timeline/citizen charter applicable to acting on such a complaint, if any, and the reasons recorded for delay in my case. I am enclosing the RTI application fee as prescribed for this public authority by Indian Postal Order / court-fee stamp / online payment proof / other accepted mode. [If you hold a BPL card: I am below the poverty line, a copy of my BPL card is enclosed, and no application fee is payable.] Please provide the information within 30 days as required under Section 7(1) of the RTI Act, 2005. Place: ____________ Date: ____________ [Your Full Name] [Full Postal Address] [Phone / Email]
If there is no reply in 30 days
The PIO is ordinarily required to respond within 30 days under Section 7(1) of the RTI Act. If there is no proper response, file a First Appeal with the First Appellate Authority of the same public authority; if that fails, a Second Appeal lies with the Information Commission. See the Appeal Generator.
I only need help finding the correct PIO >
Frequently asked questions
Can police deny this under "investigation"?
Section 8(1)(h) protects material that would impede an ongoing investigation - but the fact of action taken on your own complaint, its status and assignment are ordinarily obtainable. A blanket refusal is appealable.
RTI or a reminder complaint first?
A written reminder is fine, but the RTI creates a legal clock and a paper trail - which is what changes behaviour.
What if there is no reply?
The PIO is ordinarily required to respond within 30 days under Section 7(1) of the RTI Act. If there is no proper response, file a First Appeal with the First Appellate Authority of the same public authority (no fee for a first appeal in most states); if that also fails, a Second Appeal lies with the Information Commission. FileMyRTI helps with the First Appeal route.
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