Cognisable offence

Generally, cognisable offence means an offence in which a police officer has the authority to make an arrest without a warrant and to start an investigation with or without the permission of a court. By contrast, in the case of a non-cognisable offence, a police officer does not have the authority to make an arrest without a warrant and an investigation cannot be initiated without a court order. The police can file a first information report (FIR) only for cognisable offences. In cognisable cases police can make an investigation without prior permission of a magistrate. Cognisable cases are more serious than non-cognisable cases. Normally, serious offences are defined as cognisable and usually carry a sentence of 3 years or more. For a non-cognisable offence, a community service register is registered instead of a first information report. == In India ==

In India, crimes like rape and murder are considered cognisable unlike crimes like public nuisance, hurt and mischief. In general non-cognisable offences are bailable and placed under the First Schedule of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). On 12 November 2013, the Supreme Court of India said it was mandatory for the police to register a First Information Report for all complaints in which a cognisable offence has been discovered. Procedure The Section 154 in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, of India states: == See also ==