Vinod Kumar

1. 1

   SHOStart here

   Station House Officer (SHO) / Officer-in-Charge (thana in-charge)

   Covers: One police station (thana) area

   File your complaint/FIR here first; the officer legally bound to register a cognizable-offence FIR under BNSS Sec 173(1) (old CrPC 154).

   If unresolved, escalate to: If the SHO refuses to register the FIR, delays, or fails to investigate, escalate to the SDPO/DSP or send a written complaint to the SP.
2. 2

   SDPO/DSP

   Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) / Circle Officer (CO), a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) rank officer

   Covers: A police sub-division / circle covering several stations

   First supervisory officer above the thana; take a station's inaction or a botched investigation here for local review and direction.

   If unresolved, escalate to: If the SDPO/DSP does not intervene or the matter needs district-level authority, approach the Superintendent of Police.
3. 3

   SP/SSPThis office

   Superintendent of Police (SP) / Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP)

   Covers: One district (or Deputy Commissioner of Police in a commissionerate city)

   District police head and key escalation point: BNSS Sec 173(4) (old CrPC 154(3)) lets you send a written complaint to the SP if the station refuses an FIR; the SP can register/investigate or direct a subordinate to.

   If unresolved, escalate to: If the SP does not act or the issue spans multiple districts, escalate to the Range DIG.
4. 4

   DIG

   Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Range

   Covers: A police 'range' of several districts

   Supervisory officer over a cluster of districts; approach for grievances the district SP has failed to resolve.

   If unresolved, escalate to: If unresolved at range level, escalate to the zonal IG / ADGP.
5. 5

   IG/ADGP

   Inspector General of Police (IGP) / Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Zone

   Covers: A police 'zone' covering multiple ranges

   Senior zonal supervisory officer; take persistent failures across ranges or serious misconduct here.

   If unresolved, escalate to: If the zone-level officer does not act, escalate to the state police chief (DGP).
6. 6

   DGP

   Director General of Police (DGP)

   Covers: The entire state / UT police force

   Head of the state police; final internal escalation for systemic inaction, and the office linked to the State Police Complaints Authority process.

   If unresolved, escalate to: If internal police channels are exhausted, escalate outside the force — Magistrate under BNSS Sec 175(3) (old CrPC 156(3)), State/National Human Rights Commission, State/District Police Complaints Authority, or the High Court.
7. 7

   Home Secretary

   Principal Secretary / Additional Chief Secretary (Home), State Home Department

   Covers: State government's administrative control over the police

   Civil-service head of the Home Department to whom the police report administratively; approach for policy-level or systemic grievances the DGP cannot or will not address.

Sources:en.wikipedia.orgcyberlawconsulting.comscconline.comsansalegal.com