CrPC Section 154 — Information in cognizable cases

Official Text

(1) Every information relating to the commission of a cognizable offence, if given orally to an officer in charge of a police station, shall be reduced to writing by him or under his direction, and be read over to the informant; and every such information, whether given in writing or reduced to writing as aforesaid, shall be signed by the person giving it, and the substance thereof shall be entered in a book to be kept by such officer in such form as the State Government may prescribe in this behalf: 1[Provided that if the information is given by the woman against whom an offence under section 326A, section 326B, section 354, section 354A, section 354B, section 354C, section 354D, section 376, 2[section 376A, section 376AB, section 376B, section 376C, section 376D, section 376DA, section 376DB], section 376E or section 509 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860) is alleged to have been committed or attempted, then such information shall be recorded, by a woman police officer or any woman officer:

Provided further that—

(a) in the event that the person against whom an offence under section 354, section 354A, section 354B, section 354C, section 354D, section 376, 1[section 376A, section 376AB, section 376B, section 376C, section 376D, section 376DA, section 376DB], section 376E or section 509 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860) is alleged to have been committed or attempted, is temporarily or permanently mentally or physically disabled, then such information shall be recorded by a police officer, at the residence of the person seeking to report such offence or at a convenient place of such person’s choice, in the presence of an interpreter or a special educator, as the case may be;

(b) the recording of such information shall be video graphed;

(c) the police officer shall get the statement of the person recorded by a Judicial Magistrate under clause (a) of sub-section (5A) of section 164 as soon as possible.]

(2) A copy of the information as recorded under sub-section (1) shall be given forthwith, free of cost, to the informant.

(3) Any person aggrieved by a refusal on the part of an officer in charge of a police station to record the information referred to in sub-section (1) may send the substance of such information, in writing and by post, to the Superintendent of Police concerned who, if satisfied that such information discloses the commission of a cognizable offence, shall either investigate the case himself or direct an investigation to be made by any police officer subordinate to him, in the manner provided by this Code, and such officer shall have all the powers of an officer in charge of the police station in relation to that offence.

Sections referred to

• CrPC §164 — Recording of confessions and statements
• IPC §326A — Voluntarily causing grievous hurt by use of acid, etc.
• IPC §326B — Voluntarily throwing or attempting to throw acid, etc.
• IPC §354 — Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty
• IPC §354A — Sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment
• IPC §354B — Assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe
• IPC §354C — Voyeurism
• IPC §354D — Stalking
• IPC §376 — Punishment for rape
• IPC §376A — Punishment for causing death or resulting in persistent vegetative state of victim
• IPC §376AB — Punishment for rape on woman under twelve years of age
• IPC §376B — Sexual intercourse by husband upon his wife during separation
• IPC §376C — Sexual intercourse by person in authority
• IPC §376D — Gang Rape
• IPC §376DA — Punishment for gang rape on woman under sixteen years of age
• IPC §376DB — Punishment for gang rape on woman under twelve years of age
• IPC §376E — Punishment for repeat offenders
• IPC §509 — Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman

Referred to by

• CrPC §106 — Security for keeping the peace on conviction
• CrPC §207 — Supply to the accused of copy of police report and other documents

Related Judgments

• MOHAMMAD AFZAL MOHAMMAD SHARIF vs THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA AND OTHERS — Supreme Court of India (2025)
• PRADEEP RAM vs THE STATE OF JHARKHAND & ANR — Supreme Court of India (2019)
• IMRAN PRATAPGADHI vs STATE OF GUJARAT AND ANR — Supreme Court of India (2025)
• AMISH DEVGAN vs UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS — Supreme Court of India (2020)
• UMESH SINGH vs STATE OF BIHAR — Supreme Court of India (2013)
• PARKASH SINGH BADAL AND ANR. vs STATE OF PUNJAB AND ORS — Supreme Court of India (2006)

Old <-> New Code Mapping

• BNSS §173 — Information in cognizable cases