How to Check an FIR or Court Case Status in India from the USA

Quick answer: A CNR number is the 16 digit alphanumeric number entered on the eCourts Services portal for District and Taluka Courts to view the current status and history of a case. If it is not known, the portal searches by case registration number, party name or advocate name. The Punjab and Haryana High Court website has a CASE-STATUS menu with an FIR No search. A copy of the FIR shall be given free of cost to the informant or the victim.

This page gives information on Indian law. NRI Legal Consultants advises on Indian law only and does not advise on the law of the United States.

Why should a person in the USA check the Indian record first?

An NRI should obtain the Indian case records and establish their current legal position before travelling to India. Before travelling, the NRI should check the current case status, warrants, bail conditions, proclamation proceedings and any LOC or other travel restriction. An FIR, warrant, LOC and proclamation are different legal matters and should not be treated as interchangeable.

In plain words: what you hear from relatives or the other side is not the record. The FIR and the court's own case history are.

What is a CNR number and how is it used on eCourts?

The eCourts Services portal for District and Taluka Courts of India is run under the e-Committee of the Supreme Court of India. Its search page asks for the 16 digit alphanumeric CNR Number without any hyphen or space, and the Search button then shows the current status and history of the case. The portal gives MHAU019999992015 as an example of a CNR number. If the CNR number is not known, the portal says to use the Case Status option to search with other details such as case registration number, party name or advocate name. The portal also asks users not to use the browser toolbar reload or back button.

In plain words: the CNR number is the case's single reference number across the eCourts system. If you have it, it is the quickest way in; if you do not, you can still search by other details.

From Adv. Benipal's practice: the CNR number usually appears on a court order, summons, case papers or another court-generated document. The CNR need not be the starting point if the client does not have it: with the State, district, court, party name, FIR number or other basic particulars, the case can often be traced through the eCourts website or application.

How can a district court case be found without a CNR number?

The eCourts Case Status page asks the user to select the state, district and court complex. It then offers searches by Party Name, Case Number, Filing Number, Advocate, FIR Number and Act. For a party-name search, at least 3 characters of the name are entered, and the name may be that of the Petitioner, Plaintiff, Complainant, Respondent, Defendant, Appellant, Accused or Extra Party. The case registration year is entered, and the Pending, Disposed or Both option is chosen; Both is used when the status of the case is not known. The Captcha, the 5 alphanumeric characters shown on the screen, is entered in the text box provided. The View button then shows the Case History of the respective Case.

In plain words: you need to know which state and district the case is in. After that, your own name (if you are the accused) or the complainant's name, plus the year, is usually enough to start.

Can a court case be searched by FIR number?

Yes, the eCourts Case Status page has a "Search by FIR number" option. For it, the user selects the Police Station, enters the FIR Number and the FIR Year, chooses Pending, Disposed or Both, and enters the captcha. Clicking View then shows the Case History of the respective case.

In plain words: if you know the police station and the FIR number and year, you can check whether that FIR has reached a court and what is happening there.

From Adv. Benipal's practice: an FIR search is useful, but it should not be treated as a substitute for examining the actual police and court record. If the FIR has not yet resulted in a court case, there may be nothing substantive to see on the court side. Once proceedings are registered, the case history can show orders, but for an NRI he would still obtain the actual orders rather than rely only on the online entry.

How do I check a case in the Punjab and Haryana High Court?

The High Court of Punjab and Haryana at Chandigarh has its own website with a CASE-STATUS menu. That menu offers searches by Case No, FIR No, Advocate Name, Party Name, Complaint No, Impugned Order, Filing Search, Caveat Search and LAC / LR No, and includes a District Court option. The same website lists cause lists, a judgment search, and a section for certified copy and inspection, including "Apply e-Copy/inspection online".

In plain words: a quashing petition or an anticipatory bail application in the High Court is tracked on the High Court's own website, not on the district-court search.

From Adv. Benipal's practice: the High Court has an online facility for e-copy and inspection, and there are also established routes through the copying agency. For a client in the USA there is usually no practical reason to travel to India merely to obtain an order. Where a certified or attested copy is required, the proper attested copying procedure from the registry of the court should be used, rather than treating a downloaded PDF as equivalent to a certified copy.

See FIR quashing for an NRI under Section 528 BNSS.

What is the National Judicial Data Grid?

The National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) for District Courts of India is published under the e-Committee of the Supreme Court of India. Its menu includes a Pending Dashboard and a Disposed Dashboard.

In plain words: NJDG gives court-wide numbers. To follow your own case, use the eCourts case search or the High Court website described above.

Who is entitled to a copy of the FIR?

Section 173(2) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 says that a copy of the information as recorded under sub-section (1) shall be given forthwith, free of cost, to the informant or the victim. Under section 173(1), information about a cognizable offence may be given orally or by electronic communication, and information given by electronic communication is taken on record on being signed within three days by the person giving it.

In plain words: the person who made the complaint, and the victim, are entitled to a free copy of the FIR straight away. This is the route for an NRI who is the complainant. For how to make a complaint from abroad, see Filing a police complaint in India from abroad.

Can the accused get a copy of the FIR before going to court?

In Youth Bar Association of India vs Union of India (2016), the Supreme Court concluded that an accused is entitled to get a copy of the First Information Report at an earlier stage than as prescribed under Section 207 of the Cr.P.C. An accused who has reasons to suspect that his name may be in an FIR can submit an application through his representative, agent or parokar for a certified copy before the concerned police officer or the Superintendent of Police, on payment of the fee payable for such a copy from the Court, and the copy shall be supplied within twenty-four hours. Once the FIR is forwarded to the concerned Magistrate or Special Judge, on an application for a certified copy on behalf of the accused, the copy shall be given by the court within two working days.

In plain words: you do not have to wait for the case to reach court to see what you are accused of. Someone in India acting for you can ask the police, or later the court, for a certified copy.

From Adv. Benipal's practice: the Youth Bar Association decision dealt with access to an FIR and the right of an accused to obtain a copy through a representative, and its principle is retained here. It should not be read as saying that every direction has simply been re-enacted in the BNSS, nor that the judgment has disappeared because the CrPC was replaced; the corresponding BNSS provisions are described separately on this page.

From Adv. Benipal's practice: the client should give written authority to the person handling the matter in India. The exact document depends on what is being obtained and from where: a police record, a court record or a certified copy. A power of attorney is not needed for every FIR-copy application if the concerned authority does not require one; an advocate's application with appropriate authority is often the more practical route. See Power of attorney for NRIs.

Are FIRs uploaded on police websites?

The Supreme Court directed that copies of FIRs, unless the offence is sensitive in nature, should be uploaded on the police website, or on the official website of the State Government if there is no police website, within twenty-four hours of registration of the FIR. The time can be extended up to forty-eight hours, and at most up to 72 hours, only for connectivity problems due to geographical location. The Court gave sexual offences, offences pertaining to insurgency and terrorism, and offences under the POCSO Act as examples of sensitive offences, said the examples are not exhaustive, and said "sensitive" also includes privacy. The decision not to upload an FIR shall not be taken by an officer below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police or an equivalent post. The directions for uploading took effect from 15th November, 2016.

The Haryana Police website lists "FIR Download" among its Citizen Services. SAANJH describes itself as the official Punjab Police citizen services portal, where complaints can be filed and tracked online.

In plain words: many FIRs can be found on the state police website, but not all. FIRs in sensitive cases, such as sexual offences, are deliberately kept off the website.

From Adv. Benipal's practice: some FIRs are available online, but an NRI should not expect every FIR to be found there. Sensitive cases are specifically excluded from routine online publication, and websites and portals can also change. If the FIR is not available online, the proper course is to obtain it through the police or the concerned court rather than assume that no FIR exists.

What if the FIR is not on the website?

If an FIR is not uploaded, that by itself shall not be a ground to obtain the benefit under Section 438 of the Cr.P.C. Where a copy of the FIR is not provided on the ground of the sensitive nature of the case, a person aggrieved, after disclosing his identity, can submit a representation to the Superintendent of Police. The Superintendent of Police shall constitute a committee of three officers, which shall deal with the grievance within three days from the date of receipt of the representation. In such cases the accused or his authorised representative or parokar can also apply for a certified copy before the court to which the FIR has been sent, and the court shall provide it not beyond three days of the application.

In plain words: an FIR missing from the website does not mean there is no FIR, and it does not by itself help in a bail application. There are still two routes to a copy: the Superintendent of Police, and the court.

When does the accused receive the full police report?

Section 230 BNSS says that, in a case instituted on a police report, the Magistrate shall without delay, and in no case beyond fourteen days from the date of production or appearance of the accused, furnish to the accused and the victim (if represented by an advocate) free of cost a copy of the police report and of the first information report recorded under section 173, among other documents. The Magistrate may furnish voluminous documents through electronic means or allow inspection personally or through an advocate in Court, and supply of documents in electronic form shall be considered as duly furnished.

In plain words: once the police have filed their final report and the accused has appeared before the court, the court must give the full set of papers, free. Documents given electronically count.

Will the police tell the complainant how the investigation is going?

Section 193(3)(ii) BNSS says that the police officer shall, within a period of ninety days, inform the progress of the investigation by any means including through electronic communication to the informant or the victim. Every investigation shall be completed without unnecessary delay.

In plain words: if you are the complainant or the victim, the law requires the police to update you on the investigation, and that update can come by email or other electronic means.

From Adv. Benipal's practice: whether the update actually reaches an NRI by email in a particular case is another matter. If no update is received, he would follow it up with the investigating officer and, where necessary, the superior police authority.

What should a person in the USA do after finding the case?

If an NRI learns that a warrant or proclamation has been issued, the relevant court record should be obtained immediately. The appropriate remedy depends on the stage of the proceedings and the orders already passed. Depending on the facts, possible remedies may include anticipatory bail under Section 482 BNSS, proceedings seeking quashing under Section 528 BNSS, or other appropriate proceedings before the competent court.

See Non-bailable warrant in India while you live abroad, Anticipatory bail for an NRI, Look Out Circular (LOC) and Criminal cases in India for NRIs living in the USA.

From Adv. Benipal's practice: the first thing is to identify the case correctly: the FIR number, police station, district, names and, if available, the court case number or CNR. Once the case is traced, the relevant FIR, orders and case history can be obtained and examined before advising the client on bail, quashing, warrant or other proceedings.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a CNR number on eCourts?

It is the 16 digit alphanumeric number entered on the eCourts Services portal for District and Taluka Courts of India to view the current status and history of a case.

Can I check an Indian court case without a CNR number?

Yes. The eCourts Case Status page can search by party name, case number, filing number, advocate, FIR number or Act.

Can I check a case by FIR number?

Yes. The eCourts "Search by FIR number" option asks for the police station, the FIR number and the FIR year. The Punjab and Haryana High Court website also has an FIR No search under its case-status menu.

Who gets a free copy of the FIR?

Under Section 173(2) BNSS, a copy of the information as recorded under sub-section (1) shall be given forthwith, free of cost, to the informant or the victim.

Can an accused living abroad get a copy of the FIR?

The Supreme Court allowed an accused to apply through a representative, agent or parokar for a certified copy before the police officer or Superintendent of Police, to be supplied within twenty-four hours.

Is every FIR available online?

No. The Supreme Court's direction to upload FIRs within twenty-four hours does not apply to offences that are sensitive in nature, such as sexual offences.

Does an FIR missing from the website help in a bail application?

No. The Supreme Court said that if an FIR is not uploaded, it shall not enure per se a ground to obtain the benefit under Section 438 of the Cr.P.C.

Is the eCourts online entry enough, or do I need the actual orders?

An FIR search is useful, but it is not a substitute for examining the actual police and court record, and for an NRI the actual orders should be obtained rather than relying only on the online entry.

Do I need to travel to India to get a copy of a High Court order?

For a client in the USA there is usually no practical reason to travel to India merely to obtain an order; where a certified copy is required, the attested copying procedure of the court registry is used.

When does the accused get the chargesheet papers?

In a case instituted on a police report, the Magistrate must furnish the copies free of cost to the accused within fourteen days from the date of production or appearance of the accused.

About the Author: Adv. Jaspreet Singh Benipal — Founder & Managing Partner, NRI Legal Consultants. Reviewed by Adv. Jaspreet Singh Benipal (answers received 20 October 2026).

Official sources: Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, Sections 173, 193 and 230 (Ministry of Home Affairs, official Gazette text); Supreme Court of India, Youth Bar Association of India v. Union of India, W.P. (Crl.) No. 68 of 2016, order of 7 September 2016; eCourts Services (services.ecourts.gov.in); National Judicial Data Grid (njdg.ecourts.gov.in); High Court of Punjab and Haryana (phhc.gov.in); Haryana Police (haryanapolice.gov.in); SAANJH, Punjab Police (ppsaanjh.in).