PESHAWAR, Jan 5: After the separation of investigation and operational police, a separate bureau of investigation has started functioning in the provincial capital with the start of new year.

The investigation staff in the 22 police stations have now been empowered to record the report/complaint of cognizable crimes under substantive laws as defined in the concerned Section 154 of the Criminal procedure Code about registration of an FIR. In the new set up there will be an officer-in-charge investigation at each police station.

In this connection a circular was issued by the chief of Capital City Police, Khursheed Alam, according to which if a complainant reaches a police station his complaint, if of a substantive nature, shall be recorded in writing or his written complaint taken up by the on duty investigation officer or additional mohrar investigation. On registration of the FIR the concerned investigation officer (IO) would immediately be dispatched to the scene of crime.

If the SHO or a preventive officer receives information about a crime while on patrol in the area, he may prepare an initial report Murasila on the spot and send it to the police station for registration of an FIR, and immediately inform the investigation staff to arrive at the scene of crime. Till the arrival of the investigation staff the concerned SHO or preventive officer should not leave the spot.

Its the duty of the investigation staff to inspect the place of occurrence of a crime and collect/preserve evidence of the crime and should examine the witness and record their statements.

The separate bureau of investigation has been established in line with the ongoing police reforms in the province over which implementation started on Dec 8 last year with the establishment of capital city police and separation of investigation and operational (preventive) police.

Through the said circular cases have been divided into two categories: cases falling in one of the categories would be investigated by the investigation staff, whereas cases in the other category would be investigated by the preventive police.