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A

• Anticipatory bailCriminal law A court direction that you be released on bail if you are arrested, granted before the arrest. Section 482 BNSS (old Section 438 CrPC), from the Sessions Court or High Court.

C

• Cheque bounce (Section 138)Banking and money When a cheque given for a debt is returned unpaid for lack of funds, it can be a criminal offence under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, if the notice steps are followed.
• Cognizable offenceCriminal law An offence for which police can arrest without a warrant and start investigating without a Magistrate's order. Defined in Section 2(1)(g) BNSS (old Section 2(c) CrPC).

D

• Domestic Incident Report (DIR)Domestic violence A report in a prescribed form recording a complaint of domestic violence, made by a Protection Officer or service provider and sent to the Magistrate. Section 2(e) and 9 of the DV Act, 2005.

F

• First Information Report (FIR)Criminal law The written record police make when someone reports a cognizable offence. It starts the police investigation. Governed by Section 173 BNSS (old Section 154 CrPC).

M

• Maintenance (Section 144 BNSS)Family law A monthly allowance a Magistrate can order a person with sufficient means to pay a wife, child or parent who cannot maintain themselves. Section 144 BNSS (old Section 125 CrPC).
• Mutual consent divorceFamily law A divorce both spouses ask for together after living apart for at least a year. Under Section 13B of the Hindu Marriage Act, the second motion comes six to eighteen months after filing.

P

• Protection OfficerDomestic violence An officer appointed by the State Government under the DV Act, 2005, usually a woman, who helps an aggrieved woman file her case, prepares the DIR and assists the Magistrate.
• Protection orderDomestic violence An order of the Magistrate under Section 18 of the DV Act, 2005 forbidding the respondent from committing or helping domestic violence, contacting the woman, or taking joint assets. Breach is a crime.

Z

• Zero FIRCriminal law An FIR registered at any police station, even if the offence happened somewhere else. It is then transferred to the station with jurisdiction. Section 173(1) BNSS.

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General information on Indian law, not legal advice for your situation. Sections are checked against the official text on India Code; each entry shows the date it was last checked.