In Sadiq B. Hanchinmani v. The State Of Karnataka [2025 INSC 1282], the Supreme Court observed that once the facts alleged in the complaint disclose the commission of an offence, then the magistrates are empowered to direct police to register FIR under Section 156(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) or Section 175(3) of BNSS).
The Court referred to the case of Madhao v State of Maharashtra, (2013) 5 SCC 615, which observed that it would save the valuable time of the Magistrate from being wasted in enquiring into a matter which was primarily the duty of the police to investigate.
