Inquiry is a procedure that takes place in relation to litigations, which include administrative, civil and other cases. It is a collection of information about the case in question or a search for evidence on a fact. The procedure is carried out by the relevant authorities.
In particular, investigators are conducting investigations from structures such as the State Fire Service, customs authorities, the Federal Security Service , the Bailiffs Service, the State Drug Control Service of Russia, institutions and bodies of the penal system of the Ministry of Justice and others.
A separate category of criminal cases requires the help of structures such as inquiry bodies, represented by prosecutors. In particular, this applies to crimes committed by officials, lawyers, prosecutors, persons working in public positions.
To summarize. Interrogation bodies are special structures and officials who have legal authority to conduct an inquiry procedure. In exceptional cases, this prerogative may be granted to captains of river and sea vessels, heads of diplomatic missions and so on.
The bodies of inquiry solve the following tasks:
- more complete, accurate and quick disclosure of offenses;
- finding guilty persons;
- ensuring justice - all offenders must be punished with the crime and innocent persons must be prosecuted.
The bodies of inquiry have the authority to carry out two types of procedural actions:
- Urgent investigative procedures. In particular, this is inspection, examination, seizure, interrogation, search and much more. Such measures are carried out only in relation to those criminal cases in which a preliminary investigation is mandatory.
- Inquiry conducted in criminal cases instituted against specific individuals. In another way, this type of case is called apparent crime. This includes only offenses of medium and minor gravity. Criminal cases relating to other crimes of this category involve an inquiry conducted only at the direction of the prosecutor.
The preliminary investigation bodies assume the necessary actions by the investigators of the federal security service, the prosecutor's office, the internal affairs bodies of the Russian Federation, and in special cases, by the heads of the investigative departments of the prosecutor's office. Cases in which it is necessary to conduct an investigation are recorded in Article 150 of the Code of Criminal Procedure .
The bodies of the preliminary investigation presuppose the activity of the preliminary investigation and inquiry regulated by law. They are designed to solve the following problems:
- prompt disclosure of offenses and crimes;
- ensuring the correct interpretation of the law and strict adherence to it;
- quick finding of guilty persons;
- ensuring justice: all offenders must be punished, and the innocent should be free from criminal liability;
- ascertaining the size and nature of the damage that was caused by the crime;
- securing, if necessary, a civil action or confiscation of property;
- identifying the causes of the crime and the conditions that contributed to its commission.
A preliminary investigation is an autonomous stage in the conduct of a criminal case. It precedes the trial and follows after the initiation of proceedings.
All actions of the bodies in question are strictly regulated by law. The specifics of the activities of employees of inquiry and investigation structures depends on each specific case.