Maharashtra Police | Updated 20 October 2026

Nagpur Stolen Vehicle Search, Car Theft FIR and Police Status Guide

If your car, motorcycle, scooter or other vehicle has been stolen in Nagpur, report the suspected theft promptly, preserve the vehicle identifiers and obtain the police FIR details. Online enquiry tools can assist, but they do not replace an investigation or guarantee live tracking of the vehicle.

Important: Nagpur is in Maharashtra, not Madhya Pradesh. This guide uses the Maharashtra Police and Nagpur City Police official services. In an emergency, call 112.

How to report a stolen vehicle in Nagpur

Contact the police immediately. Visit the police station or use the available e-complaint facility linked from Nagpur City Police. For urgent incidents call 112.
Provide vehicle information. State the registration number, make, model, colour, engine number, chassis/VIN, place and time last seen, keys held, and any GPS or CCTV information.
Ask for the FIR. When the information discloses a cognizable offence, request registration under Section 173 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS). Ask for the FIR number, police station and a free copy as provided by law.
Retain evidence. Keep registration certificate (RC), insurance details, purchase records, photographs and any acknowledgment or complaint number.
Follow up. Contact the investigating officer and use the Maharashtra Police Citizen Portal for services currently offered to your account.

How to search for a stolen or recovered vehicle online

The older Nagpur Police webpage described a Trace Vehicle search. Its form allowed searches by engine number, chassis number, registration number or date range, with options such as Exact and Like for partial matching. The historic address nagpurpolice.info/trace_your_vehicle should not be relied upon as a current official service.

For current availability, start at the official Nagpur City Police website, review its Quick Links, or visit the Maharashtra Police Citizen Portal. If an enquiry or vehicle-search facility is available, follow its current on-screen instructions. Access may require registration or police verification. Do not assume a public search displays real-time vehicle location.

Vehicle details useful for a search

Engine number: the manufacturer's identifying number for the engine, if assigned.
Chassis number or VIN: the identifying number stamped on the vehicle and recorded in the RC.
Registration number: the RTO-issued vehicle number, usually beginning with MH for Maharashtra registrations.
Date range: the period during which the theft was reported or the vehicle may have been recovered.
FIR details: police station, FIR number and year, where a service asks for them.

These details help police match a reported or recovered vehicle. A negative online search result does not establish that the vehicle has not been stolen or recovered.

Legal provisions applicable to vehicle theft

Section 303, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS): Theft

Section 303 defines theft broadly as dishonestly moving movable property out of another person's possession without consent in order to take it. Ordinary theft under Section 303(2) is punishable as provided in that subsection. Whether the facts amount to theft, robbery or another offence depends on the circumstances.

Section 305, BNS: Theft of a means of transportation

Section 305 specifically covers, among other situations, theft of a means of transport used for carrying goods or passengers. The punishment may extend to seven years' imprisonment and a fine. Its application to a particular vehicle depends on the statutory ingredients and the facts.

Section 173, BNSS: Information in cognizable cases

Section 173 governs giving information about a cognizable offence to the officer in charge of a police station. Information may be supplied orally or by electronic communication; electronic information must be signed within three days for it to be taken on record under the provision. Information can be given irrespective of the area in which the offence occurred (commonly called Zero FIR). The informant or victim is entitled to a copy of the recorded information free of cost. Statutory safeguards and exceptions apply.

If the officer refuses to record information disclosing a cognizable offence, Section 173(4) provides a route to the Superintendent of Police, with further recourse to the Magistrate under the applicable BNSS procedure.

Read the official texts on the Ministry of Home Affairs new criminal laws page. The BNS and BNSS generally came into force on 1 July 2024; the law applicable to an older incident may differ.

Historic Nagpur Police Trace Vehicle interface

The screenshots below are retained from the original guide for reference only. They illustrate the former Trace Vehicle menu and form and should not be treated as current portal instructions.

Archived Nagpur Police Trace Vehicle navigation

Archived Nagpur vehicle search form with engine chassis and registration search options

After the FIR: insurance and recovery

Inform your insurer promptly and follow the policy's claim requirements. Preserve the FIR, RC, keys, correspondence and any police reports. If the police recover the vehicle, obtain the necessary release or custody orders and coordinate with the investigating officer and insurer before taking possession. Do not attempt to recover a suspected stolen vehicle yourself.

Frequently asked questions

Can I track a stolen car's live location on the Nagpur Police website?

Not necessarily. A police database search, when offered, is not a live GPS tracking service. Share any installed tracker details with the investigating officer.

Can I file a vehicle theft FIR electronically?

BNSS Section 173 recognises information supplied by electronic communication, subject to its signing requirement. The availability and processing of a particular online police form may vary; a complaint acknowledgment alone is not proof that an FIR has been registered.

What if the vehicle was stolen outside Nagpur?

Under Section 173, information about a cognizable offence may be given irrespective of territorial jurisdiction. The police can take the necessary steps for transfer to the appropriate station.

What if the vehicle is merely misplaced?

Explain the facts accurately. Suspected theft and an item genuinely lost without evidence of theft may require different police procedures. Do not falsely report a theft.

Related legal case-law resources

The following internal legal resources were retained from the original page. Some discuss older IPC or CrPC provisions and should be read with the applicable law and transition rules in mind.

This is general legal information, not an official police search service or legal opinion. Portal features and police procedures can change.