Threat calls, messages, and in-person intimidation are more common than people admit, and more people than you'd expect don't report them, because they aren't sure a threat alone — without any actual physical harm — counts as a crime. It does, and knowing how to document and file it properly makes a real difference to whether the police act on it.
What counts as criminal intimidation
Criminal intimidation under Section 351 BNS (formerly Section 503/506 IPC) covers threatening someone with injury to their person, reputation, or property, or to a person they care about, with the intent to cause alarm or to force them to do something they wouldn't otherwise do. This includes threats made in person, over phone calls, through text or WhatsApp messages, on social media, or through a third party relaying the threat on someone's behalf. The threat doesn't need to be carried out for the complaint to be valid — the act of threatening, with the required intent, is itself the offence.
Where to file the complaint
A threat complaint can be filed at the police station with jurisdiction over where you received the threat, or where the threatening person is located, whichever applies. If the threat came through calls, messages, or social media, it can also be reported through a written complaint attaching the digital evidence, and in cases involving anonymous numbers or fake social media profiles, the cyber cell is often better equipped to trace the source than a local police station alone.
What you need to bring
Screenshots of messages with visible timestamps, call recordings if you have them, the phone number or social media handle used, and a written account of what was said and when, in as much detail as you can recall. If the threat was made in person or by a known individual, a written statement naming them and describing the context — a property dispute, a business disagreement, a personal relationship — helps the police understand the background and take it seriously.
If the police are reluctant to register the complaint
Threat complaints, particularly verbal ones without a "worse" incident attached yet, are sometimes treated less urgently than they should be. This is a mistake, since criminal intimidation complaints often come before a more serious incident occurs, and are meant to be preventive. If a police station declines to act, a written representation to the Superintendent of Police under Section 173(4) BNSS, or an application to the Magistrate under Section 175(3) BNSS, can direct registration of the FIR.
What happens after the FIR is registered
Once registered, the investigation typically involves recording your statement, examining the digital evidence, and questioning the accused. Depending on the severity and repetition of the threats, the police can also initiate proceedings for a bond of good behaviour under the relevant BNSS provisions, or the accused can be arrested where the threat is serious enough to warrant it. If the threats continue after the complaint is filed, report each fresh instance immediately and in writing — a pattern of repeated threats after a complaint has already been filed is taken more seriously by both police and courts.
Why early legal advice matters
A threat complaint drafted with the specific words used, the context, and the intent clearly laid out gives the police a stronger basis to act than a vague description of "being threatened." Where the threat is connected to a larger dispute — a property matter, a business fallout, or a family issue — framing the complaint with that context in view also protects your position in any related civil or criminal proceedings that follow.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need proof of the threat being carried out to file a complaint?
No. Criminal intimidation is complete the moment the threat is made with the intent to cause alarm — you don't need to wait for actual harm to occur before filing.
Can I file a complaint for a threat made anonymously?
Yes. The complaint can still be registered, and the cyber cell can assist in tracing an anonymous number or fake profile as part of the investigation.
What if the threat came from a family member or someone I know personally?
The complaint can still be filed regardless of the relationship. In fact, providing that context helps the police and, later, the court understand the background and the seriousness of the threat.
Is a threat complaint the same as filing for domestic violence?
No — they're separate remedies, though a threat within a domestic relationship can sometimes be pursued under both, depending on the facts.
For a fuller view of how criminal complaints of this kind are handled from FIR through resolution, see our criminal lawyer in Gurgaon page. For a free first consultation, call +91 82954 13475 at any hour, or send the details of your matter.
Facing this yourself?
Call +91 82954 13475 or send the details. The first consultation is free. This post is general information and is not advice on any particular case.