MHA directs enforcement officials to promptly file FIR in cases of missing foreign nationals
NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Home Affairs has written to officials of State and Union Territories including Delhi stating that law enforcement and intelligence agencies promptly file the First Information Report (FIR) in case of any missing foreign nationals.
The MHA letter accessed by reads, “It has been brought to the notice of this Ministry that there are instances of foreigners who entered into India through different immigration check posts
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(ICPS) with valid passport and visa, had reportedly gone missing/underground and no FIR has been filed in many cases.”
The letter further reads that non-filing of FIRS promptly in such cases by the law enforcement agencies concerned is a matter of grave concern. “From the security point of view, it is essential that FIR is filed by the law enforcement and intelligence agencies concerned as soon as any such case of missing of any foreign national comes to notice. Further, this will not only help in locating the foreigner but also it may be useful if such foreigner subsequently files a Court case after being traced from his or her hideout,” reads the letter.
The letter further added that all state governments, union territory administrations are, therefore, advised to sensitise all the law enforcement and intelligence agencies for taking prompt steps to file an FIR as soon as any such case of missing of any foreign national comes to notice and to initiate appropriate action promptly to trace the missing foreign national. The letter was sent to all additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries (Home) and
Director Generals of Police of all states and union territory administrations.
Last year, the Delhi Police had written to all districts and units about linking the general diary (GD) entries of missing persons in crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS). The officers were requested to direct SHOS of concerned police stations under their jurisdiction to complete the data of missing persons by entering the corresponding missing person form in CCTNS application at the earliest possible.