Question

Under the scheme of Criminal Procedure Code, non-cognizable offences are:

• A. Public wrongs
• B. Private wrongs
• C. Both public and private wrongs
• D. None of the above

Hint:

Think of it this way: for a serious (cognizable) crime, it's a "public wrong," and the police can act. For a less serious (non-cognizable) crime, it's treated as a "private wrong," and the victim must file a complaint to start the process.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

In criminal jurisprudence, wrongs are often categorized as public or private. Public wrongs are crimes that are considered to harm society as a whole, and the state takes the initiative to prosecute (e.g., murder, robbery). Private wrongs are typically torts, which affect individuals. Within the CrPC, this distinction is reflected in the classification of offences:
Cognizable Offences: These are serious offences where the police can arrest without a warrant. They are treated as public wrongs, where the state machinery acts on its own.
Non-Cognizable Offences: These are less serious offences where the police cannot arrest without a warrant and generally cannot start an investigation without a magistrate's order, which is usually prompted by a private complaint. Because they primarily affect an individual and require that individual to initiate legal action, they are analogous to private wrongs.