Cognisable Crimes

The Code of Criminal Procedure 1973, segregates all the offences listed in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in to ‘cognisable ‘and ‘non-cognisable ’crimes.

Cognisable crimes are the more serious ones such as murder, rape, child molestation or rioting. Police have the right to take immediate action when these crimes are committed. They can arrest any suspected person, conduct searches of a person or property without a warrant and question witnesses, all without having to wait on the orders of a magistrate so that there is no delay in the investigation of the crime.

FIR’s can only be registered for cognisable crimes.