Section 249 · Paragraph 240. Rules for opening a history sheet

History sheets of either category may be opened (1) on suspicion or (2) on conviction or acquittal. No history sheet may be opened without the orders of the Superintendent of Police.
(1) On suspicion - Whenever, as a result of investigation in cases of robbery, cattle theft, theft from railway goods trains, or miscellaneous crimes of a professional nature, the officer in charge of a police station receives an application for the entry of a person's name in the crime register as a reasonable suspect, he shall at the same time report whether the suspect is under surveillance, and if not, whether, in his opinion, a history sheet should be opened. If the gazetted officer in charge of a subdivision, on receipt of such report or after such further investigation as he deems necessary, considers that a history sheet is required, he shall forward the report to the Superintendent, who, if he accepts the proposal, shall determine the category of history sheet to be opened and pass an order whether the suspect should be starred. Similarly, when the officer in charge of a police station has reason to believe, other than during the course of investigation, that a person residing within his circle is involved in any crime, or whenever a gazetted officer or circle inspector believes for any reason that a history sheet is necessary for a person, a report shall be submitted to the Superintendent, who shall pass orders as described above.
(2) Upon conviction or acquittal, when a person is sent for trial on a charge of robbery, burglary, cattle theft, theft from a railway goods train, or miscellaneous crimes of a professional nature, the officer in charge of the police station shall state in his diary whether the accused has a history sheet and, if not, recommend that one be opened for him. Upon the acquittal of the accused, it is the duty of the Public Prosecutor to inform the Superintendent whether, in his opinion, a history sheet is required on acquittal or otherwise. The Superintendent shall thereupon pass such orders to the Station House Officer as may be necessary. If the accused is convicted, the Public Prosecutor shall enter in red ink the words "On H.S.C." in the column for the charges in the Daily Report of Conviction or Acquittal (Format No. 107), if a history sheet has already been opened, or the letters "On H.S." if he recommends that a history sheet be opened. In each case, he must prepare and attach a PR slip (Format No. 313) to the Daily Report of Conviction and Acquittal. If a history sheet has already been opened, or if the Superintendent agrees that a history sheet should be opened, he shall sign the PR slip as he does on the Daily Report of Conviction and Acquittal, and initial the words "On H.S." or "On H.S." The Public Prosecutor shall then notify the police station concerned of the Superintendent's order opening the history sheet and forward the slip to the Superintendent of the Jail, registered in the police register. If the history sheet has not been opened or the Superintendent of Police does not agree to its preparation, he will not sign the police registration slip, which will be cancelled.
If the accused is a resident of another district or state or has been sent for prosecution by the Railway Police, the same procedure will be followed, except that the Superintendent of Police will not order the opening of a history sheet. If the accused is convicted and the Superintendent of Police deems a history sheet desirable, the police registration slip will be signed and sent to the Superintendent of Jail, and the Superintendent of Jail will provide a receipt for the police registration slip to the Superintendent of Police. In column 10 (conviction list) of Form 148, the Public Prosecutor will make a note in red ink that this has been done, and in the same column, Form No. 15, a remark stating that a history sheet should be opened. Any conviction list recommending the opening of a history sheet shall, on receipt in the district of residence of the convicted person, be placed before the Superintendent of Police of that district, who shall decide whether or not to open a history sheet and shall address the Superintendent of Jail for cancellation of the police registered slip if he does not agree that a history sheet is desirable. Notwithstanding the above, the Superintendent of Police of any district in Uttar Pradesh shall, subject to the decision of the Deputy Inspector General of the Range to whom any disagreement may be referred, be bound to open a history sheet on the request of the Superintendent of the Government Railway Police in respect of any resident person suspected of or convicted of an offence on the railways. The Superintendent of Railway Police should specify the type of surveillance required in each case.
In cases where a person is sent for prosecution by the Railway Police and the Superintendent of Police considers it desirable to open a history sheet, the Public Prosecutor shall send Form No. 143 (Conviction Roll) endorsed as above to the Superintendent of the District of which the person belongs, through the Superintendent of Railway Police.
The Superintendent of Railway Police shall, while forwarding Form No. 148 to the Superintendent of the District concerned, state whether he considers a history sheet necessary. If not, he shall request the Superintendent of Jail to cancel the police registered slip.