[ Everyday Law ]
Filing a private criminal complaint to a Magistrate
A private criminal complaint under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 [Section 200 of the CrPC, 1973] is the statutory route into the Magistrate's court when the police will not register an FIR, when the offence is non-cognizable, or when the complainant prefers to drive the prosecution himself. This guide tracks the procedure from drafting and jurisdiction through examination on oath to issue of process.