Cognizable Offence
An offence for which police may arrest without a warrant and start investigation without a magistrate's order.
In Simple Terms
A serious enough crime that police can act on immediately, without waiting for a court's permission first.
Detailed Legal Meaning
Cognizable offences (generally the more serious offences) permit a police officer to arrest without a warrant and to register an FIR and begin investigation on their own authority, in contrast to non-cognizable offences, where police may investigate only with the magistrate's permission.
Relevant Acts & Sections
- Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023Search on India Code ↗
- Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (predecessor provision)Search on India Code ↗